pipe flow expert user guide

User Guide

PipeFlow is a trading name of Daxesoft Ltd.

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2 Pipe Flow Expert User Guide

Copyright Notice

© 2012 All Rights Reserved

Daxesoft Ltd.

Distribution Limited to Authorized Persons Only.

Trade Secret Notice

The PipeFlow.com, PipeFlow.co.uk and Daxesoft Ltd. name and logo and all related product and service names, design marks, logos, and slogans are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Daxesoft Ltd. All other product names and trademarks contained herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. Printed in the United Kingdom - October 2012

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement. The software may be used only in accordance with the terms of the license agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as specifically allowed in the license agreement. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information recording and retrieval systems, for any purpose without the express written permission of Daxesoft Ltd.

Calculations and Results 3

Table of Contents Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... 3

Table of Figures ...................................................................................................................................... 8

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 11

Welcome to Pipe Flow Expert ........................................................................................................... 11

Pipe Flow Expert Overview ............................................................................................................... 11

Minimum Operating System Requirements ....................................................................................... 12

Registration and Licensing Information ............................................................................................. 13

Contacting PipeFlow.com ................................................................................................................. 15 Additional Pipe Flow Software Programs .......................................................................................... 15

Interface and Menus .............................................................................................................................. 16

Menu Bar ......................................................................................................................................... 16

File Menu .................................................................................................................................... 17

Edit Menu .................................................................................................................................... 19

Units Menu .................................................................................................................................. 20

Fluid Menu .................................................................................................................................. 20

Drawing Menu ............................................................................................................................. 22

Tools Menu ................................................................................................................................. 23

License Menu .............................................................................................................................. 23

Documentation Menu................................................................................................................... 24

Help Menu ................................................................................................................................... 25 Tool Bar ........................................................................................................................................... 26

Tool Bar Buttons .......................................................................................................................... 26

Keyboard Shortcuts ..................................................................................................................... 30

Node Pane ....................................................................................................................................... 30

Node Types ................................................................................................................................. 30

Tank Node Data .......................................................................................................................... 31

End Pressure Data ...................................................................................................................... 32

Join Point Data ............................................................................................................................ 33

Flow Demands ............................................................................................................................ 34

Pipe Pane......................................................................................................................................... 35

Pipe Features .............................................................................................................................. 35

Pipe Material Data ....................................................................................................................... 37 Pipe Diameter Data ..................................................................................................................... 39

Pipe Fittings Database ................................................................................................................. 41

Component Pressure Loss .......................................................................................................... 43

Control Valve Data ...................................................................................................................... 44

Pump Data .................................................................................................................................. 45


Drawing Pane .............................................................................................................................. 47 Configuration Options Screen ........................................................................................................... 49

Labelling Tab ............................................................................................................................... 49

Units Tab ..................................................................................................................................... 51

Pipe Settings Tab ........................................................................................................................ 53

Node Updates Tab ...................................................................................................................... 55

Results Colors Tab ...................................................................................................................... 56

Calculations Tab .......................................................................................................................... 57

Results Tables .................................................................................................................................. 59

Viewing Individual Results ........................................................................................................... 61

File and Design Operations ................................................................................................................... 62

Tabbed Design Sheets ..................................................................................................................... 62

Creating a New Pipe System ............................................................................................................ 62 Isometric System Options ................................................................................................................. 63

Designing a Pipe System .................................................................................................................. 63

Saving a System .............................................................................................................................. 64

Change the System View - Isometric Mode Toggle ........................................................................... 65

Sending a System via E-mail ............................................................................................................ 65

Printing a System ............................................................................................................................. 65

Saving a Screen Image .................................................................................................................... 67

Saving a Drawing to an EMF Image .................................................................................................. 67

Emailing a Screen Image .................................................................................................................. 67

System Options ..................................................................................................................................... 68

Choosing Units (imperial/metric) ....................................................................................................... 68

Choosing Item Labelling ................................................................................................................... 69 Choosing the System Units ............................................................................................................... 70

Choosing Pipe Drawing Defaults....................................................................................................... 71

Change attributes of more than one pipe .......................................................................................... 75

Node Updates .................................................................................................................................. 77

Results Colors .................................................................................................................................. 78

Configuring the Calculation Parameters ............................................................................................ 79

Fluid Zones ........................................................................................................................................... 81

Defining Fluid Zones ......................................................................................................................... 81

Properties of Mixed Fluids ................................................................................................................ 82

Two Phase Flow – Additional Pressure Drop .................................................................................... 82

Fluids Database .................................................................................................................................... 83

Adding Fluids to the Fluid Database.................................................................................................. 84 Adding Gas Data to the Fluid Database ............................................................................................ 85

Tanks .................................................................................................................................................... 86


Add a Tank ....................................................................................................................................... 86 Nodes (Join Points) ............................................................................................................................... 88

Adding a Node.................................................................................................................................. 88

Pipes ..................................................................................................................................................... 90

Adding a Pipe ................................................................................................................................... 90

Adding a Pipe Material to the Database ............................................................................................ 93

Adding Pipe Size Data to the Database ............................................................................................ 93

Reversing the Pipe Flow ................................................................................................................... 94

Closing a Pipe in the System ............................................................................................................ 94

Using the Pipe Sub-menu while drawing ........................................................................................... 95

Preventing Backflow in a pipe ........................................................................................................... 96

Using the Default Pipe feature while drawing .................................................................................... 96

Fittings and Valves ................................................................................................................................ 97 Adding a Fitting to a pipe .................................................................................................................. 97

Adding a Fitting to the Database ....................................................................................................... 99

Components ........................................................................................................................................ 103

Adding a Component with a pressure loss ...................................................................................... 103

Cv and Kv Flow Coefficients ................................................................................................................ 106

Adding a component/valve with a Cv or Kv value ............................................................................ 106

Control Valves (FCV, PRV, BPV) ......................................................................................................... 109

Adding a Flow Control Valve ........................................................................................................... 110

Adding a Pressure Reducing Valve ................................................................................................. 111

Adding a Back Pressure Valve ........................................................................................................ 112

Pumps ................................................................................................................................................. 114

Adding a Pump ............................................................................................................................... 114 Adding a Fixed Flow Rate Pump ..................................................................................................... 115

Note about Fixed Flow Rate Pumps ................................................................................................ 116

Adding a Fixed Head / Pressure Rise Pump ................................................................................... 117

Adding a Fixed Speed Pump Curve ................................................................................................ 118

Working with Pump Curve Graph .................................................................................................... 120

Import Pump Curve Image .............................................................................................................. 122

Variable Speed and Change to Impeller Size .................................................................................. 125

Predicted Performance Data ........................................................................................................... 126

Search Pump Database .................................................................................................................. 129

Browse Pump Database ................................................................................................................. 130

Example Pumps (with Flow versus Head curve) .............................................................................. 131

Demand Flows .................................................................................................................................... 132 Adding a Demand Flow at a join point ............................................................................................. 132

Demand Pressures .............................................................................................................................. 134


Adding a Demand Pressure at an end node .................................................................................... 134 Text Items ........................................................................................................................................... 136

Adding Text to the drawing ............................................................................................................. 136

Viewing, Modifying, and Deleting Items ................................................................................................ 138

Zooming in or Out in the Drawing Pane........................................................................................... 138

Zooming in to a Selected Area ........................................................................................................ 138

Viewing the whole System in the Drawing Pane .............................................................................. 139

Panning a System in the Drawing Pane .......................................................................................... 139

Finding a Pipe or a Node ................................................................................................................ 140

Mirror View of the Pipe System ....................................................................................................... 140

Inverted View of the Pipe System ................................................................................................... 140

System Amendments and Group Updates ........................................................................................... 141

Using the Edit Grid ......................................................................................................................... 141 Individual Item Viewing and Modifying ............................................................................................ 142

Group Updates on the Drawing ....................................................................................................... 143

Moving Components in a System .................................................................................................... 144

Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Nodes & Pipes ................................................................................. 145

Copying Between Drawings ............................................................................................................ 146

Opening Additional Systems ........................................................................................................... 146

Rotating Selected Items .................................................................................................................. 147

Moving a Pipe to link at a new position ........................................................................................... 147

Using the Undo and Redo Functions ............................................................................................... 148

Deleting Components in a System .................................................................................................. 148

Deleting a Node or Pipe .................................................................................................................. 148

Deleting a Group of Components .................................................................................................... 149 Deleting a Demand Flow................................................................................................................. 149

Deleting Fittings .............................................................................................................................. 150

Deleting a Component Pressure Loss ............................................................................................. 150

Deleting a Control Valve ................................................................................................................. 151

Deleting a Pump ............................................................................................................................. 151

Calculations and Results ..................................................................................................................... 152

Automatic Checks and Updates ...................................................................................................... 153

Calculating and Solving a System ................................................................................................... 154

Configuring the System Results ...................................................................................................... 158

Viewing the System Results............................................................................................................ 160

Saving the System Results ............................................................................................................. 161

Exporting the System Results ......................................................................................................... 162 Redesigning the System ................................................................................................................. 163

Amending the System..................................................................................................................... 163


Create a PDF Report of the System Results ................................................................................... 164 Calculation Theory and Method of Solution .......................................................................................... 166

Fluid Flow States ............................................................................................................................ 166

Fluid Viscosity ................................................................................................................................ 166

Reynolds Numbers ......................................................................................................................... 167

Friction Factors ............................................................................................................................... 167

Colebrook-White Formula ............................................................................................................... 167

Friction Losses (resistance to flow) ................................................................................................. 167

Darcy-Weisbach Formula ............................................................................................................... 168

Fitting Head Loss............................................................................................................................ 168

’K’ Factor fitting head loss calculation ............................................................................................. 168

Calculate Total Pressure Loss ........................................................................................................ 169

Energy and Hydraulic Grade Lines ................................................................................................. 169 Balanced Flow State ....................................................................................................................... 170

Loops, Nodes and Pipes ................................................................................................................. 170

Solving the unknown values............................................................................................................ 171

System Calculation Tolerances ....................................................................................................... 172

System Components ...................................................................................................................... 172

Cv and Kv Flow Coefficients ........................................................................................................... 172

Flow Control Valves ........................................................................................................................ 177

Pressure Reducing Valves .............................................................................................................. 178

Back Pressure Valves ..................................................................................................................... 179

Pumps (with Flow versus Head Curve) ........................................................................................... 180

Fixed Flow Rate Pumps .................................................................................................................. 180

Fixed Head / Pressure Rise Pumps ................................................................................................ 181 Net Positive Suction Head available................................................................................................ 181

Two Phase Flow ............................................................................................................................. 181

Slurries ........................................................................................................................................... 181

Working with Compressible Fluids ....................................................................................................... 182

Considerations When Using Compressible Fluids ........................................................................... 182

Glossary .............................................................................................................................................. 185

Index ................................................................................................................................................... 186


Table of Figures Figure 1 Pipe Flow Expert License Registration .................................................................................... 13

Figure 2 Pipe Flow Expert interface ...................................................................................................... 16

Figure 3 Menu Bar ................................................................................................................................ 16

Figure 4 File Menu ................................................................................................................................ 17

Figure 5 Edit Menu ............................................................................................................................... 19

Figure 6 Units Menu ............................................................................................................................. 20 Figure 7 Fluid Menu .............................................................................................................................. 20

Figure 8 Drawing Menu......................................................................................................................... 22

Figure 9 Tools Menu ............................................................................................................................. 23

Figure 10 License Menu ....................................................................................................................... 23

Figure 11 Documentation Menu ............................................................................................................ 24

Figure 12 Help Menu ............................................................................................................................ 25

Figure 13 Tank Node Pane ................................................................................................................... 31

Figure 14 End Pressure Node Pane ...................................................................................................... 32

Figure 15 Join Point Node Pane ........................................................................................................... 33

Figure 16 Flow Demands ...................................................................................................................... 34

Figure 17 Pipe Pane and Pipe Sub-menu ............................................................................................. 35

Figure 18 Pipe Material Data ................................................................................................................ 37 Figure 19 Pipe Diameter Data ............................................................................................................... 39

Figure 20 Pipe Fittings Database .......................................................................................................... 41

Figure 21 Component Pressure Loss .................................................................................................... 43

Figure 22 Control Valve Data ................................................................................................................ 44

Figure 23 Pump Data............................................................................................................................ 45

Figure 24 Drawing Panes Standard or Isometric ................................................................................... 48

Figure 25 Configuration Options - Labelling Tab ................................................................................... 49

Figure 26 Configuration Options - Units Tab ......................................................................................... 51

Figure 27 Configuration Options - Pipe Settings Tab ............................................................................. 53

Figure 28 Configuration Options - Node Updates Tab ........................................................................... 55

Figure 29 Configuration Options - Results Colors tab ............................................................................ 56

Figure 30 Configuration Options - Calculations Tab .............................................................................. 57 Figure 31 Results tables ....................................................................................................................... 59

Figure 32 View Individual Results ......................................................................................................... 61

Figure 33 Save As dialog ...................................................................................................................... 64

Figure 34 Printing Information dialog ..................................................................................................... 66

Figure 35 Configuration Options – Labelling tab .................................................................................... 69


Figure 36 Configuration Options – Units tab .......................................................................................... 70 Figure 37 Configuration Options – Pipe Settings tab ............................................................................. 71

Figure 38 Pipe diameter data - materials list........................................................................................ 72

Figure 39 Pipe Diameter Data - Pipe Sizes ......................................................................................... 73

Figure 40 Pipe fitting friction coefficients ............................................................................................... 74

Figure 41 Configuration Options – Pipe Settings Tab ............................................................................ 75

Figure 42 Configuration Options – Node Updates Tab .......................................................................... 77

Figure 43 Configuration Options – Results Colors Tab .......................................................................... 78

Figure 44 Calculation settings ............................................................................................................... 79

Figure 45 Fluid Zone Menu .................................................................................................................... 81

Figure 46 Fluid Database ...................................................................................................................... 83

Figure 47 Properties of Gases ............................................................................................................... 85

Figure 48 Node Pane for Tanks ............................................................................................................ 86 Figure 49 Node Pane for Join Points .................................................................................................... 88

Figure 50 Set Flow Demands ................................................................................................................ 89

Figure 51 Pipe diameter data - materials list ......................................................................................... 91

Figure 52 Pipe diameter data - pipe sizes ............................................................................................. 92

Figure 53 Pipe Sub-Menu ..................................................................................................................... 95

Figure 54 Pipe fitting friction coefficients database ................................................................................ 98

Figure 55 Add a fitting in the Pipe fitting friction coefficients listings ..................................................... 100

Figure 56 Choose fitting symbol ........................................................................................................... 100

Figure 57 Sudden Contraction K value ................................................................................................. 102

Figure 58 Set Component Pressure Loss ............................................................................................ 104

Figure 59 Adding a Cv / Kv flow coefficient value ................................................................................. 106

Figure 60 Set Control Valve Data ........................................................................................................ 110 Figure 61 Add Pump Confirm dialog ................................................................................................... 115

Figure 62 Fixed Flow Rate Pump ........................................................................................................ 116

Figure 63 Fixed Head / Pressure Pump ............................................................................................. 117

Figure 64 Pump Data screen .............................................................................................................. 118

Figure 65 Pump Graph with NPSHr and Power ................................................................................... 120

Figure 66 Simple Pump Graph from imported points ........................................................................... 124

Figure 67 Pump Initial Affinity Predictions ........................................................................................... 126

Figure 68 Adjusted Pump Model ......................................................................................................... 128

Figure 69 Set Flow Demands dialog ................................................................................................... 133

Figure 70 Node pane for end pressures .............................................................................................. 134

Figure 71 Add Free Text Label Dialog ................................................................................................. 136

Figure 72 The Edit Grid (in filter mode) ............................................................................................... 141 Figure 73 Pipe data Group Updates .................................................................................................... 143

Figure 74 Result Log dialog ................................................................................................................ 155


Figure 75 Pipe Flow Expert interface in Results mode......................................................................... 156 Figure 76 Results Tables .................................................................................................................... 156

Figure 77 PDF Report Options Dialog .................................................................................................. 157

Figure 78 PDF Report Pages ............................................................................................................... 158

Figure 79 Configuration Options dialog – Labelling tab ........................................................................ 159

Figure 80 Configuration Options Screen – Units tab ............................................................................ 160

Figure 81 Results Tables – All Results tab .......................................................................................... 161

Figure 82 Save Results as Excel File dialog ........................................................................................ 162

Figure 83 pipe system results in Microsoft Excel ................................................................................. 163

Figure 84 Create PDF Report Options ................................................................................................. 164

Figure 85 PDF Results Report Pages .................................................................................................. 165

Figure 86 Hydraulic Grade Line .......................................................................................................... 169

Figure 87 Flow balance at a join point ................................................................................................. 170 Figure 88 Pressure balance around a loop .......................................................................................... 170

Figure 89 Pseudo Loop ...................................................................................................................... 171

Figure 90 Flow Control Valve replacement .......................................................................................... 177

Figure 91 Pressure Reducing Valve replacement ................................................................................ 178

Figure 92 Back Pressure Valve replacement ....................................................................................... 179

Figure 93 Fixed Flow Rate Pump replacement .................................................................................... 181


Introduction

Welcome to Pipe Flow Expert Pipe Flow Expert is designed to help today’s engineers analyze and solve a wide range of problems where the flow and pressure losses throughout a pipe network must be determined. The Pipe Flow Expert program will allow you to draw a complex pipeline system and analyze the features of the system when flow is occurring. Pipe Flow Expert calculates the balanced steady flow and pressure conditions of the system. It will allow you to perform analysis of alternate systems under various operating conditions. The reported results include:

• flow rates for each pipe • fluid velocities for each pipe • Reynolds numbers • friction factors • friction pressure losses • fitting pressures losses • component pressure losses • pressures at each node • HGL (hydraulic grade line) values • pump operating points • NPSHa at pump inlet

The input and display of system information on the Pipe Flow Expert drawing and in the results tables can be shown in metric or imperial units to suit your preference and specific units for each item (such as flow rate) can also be configured and set on an individual basis as required. Pipe Flow Expert has been designed for the professional engineer who needs a powerful tool that has a class leading, easy to use and robust interface that makes it simple to design and analyze pipe networks.

Pipe Flow Expert Overview Pipeline systems range from very simple ones with a single pipe to very large and complex networks with hundreds of interconnecting pipes. They may be as simple as a single pipe carrying water from one reservoir to another reservoir, or they may be more complex with many pipelines interconnecting to distribute fluid over a large area, or they could fall somewhere in-between such as a system that transfers a chemical from a supply container to various process points. The pipelines may vary in size and nature and will usually involve changes in elevation from one point to another. These pipeline systems may include reservoirs, pressurized tanks, pumps, valves, flow control devices, heat exchangers and other components that affect flow in the pipelines.


The pipeline system is modeled by drawing the join points and the connecting pipes on a drawing pane. Horizontal, vertical or sloping lines can be used to connect one node to another node. The physical data describing the system is entered by the user and typically includes:

• The internal size, internal roughness and length of each connecting pipe • The elevation of each join point (node) • The In-flow and the Out-flow at each join point (if applicable) • The elevation, liquid level and surface pressure data for each tank • The performance data for each pump

Data input boxes are located at the left hand side of the drawing pane. These input boxes will display the data for the currently selected node or pipe and may be used to amend the current data. The data for a node, pipe, pump, etc. can be amended at any point during the design process. Once the design has been completed, the system can be analyzed and the flow and pressure results can be calculated. The pressure losses within the system are calculated using friction factors obtained from the Colebrook-White equation, and the friction pressure loss for each pipe is obtained from the Darcy-Weisbach equation.

An initial approximate solution is obtained using Linear Theory methods and an iterative approach to adjust the flow rates until an approximate pressure balance is achieved. An alternative approach is to use estimates for the out-flows and to use these estimates to set an initial flow rate in each pipe, with the total in-flow to each join point matching the total out-flow from each join point. The initial flow estimates are unlikely to give a balanced pressure result over the whole system and must be further refined using an iterative approach to adjust the flow rates until an approximate pressure balance is achieved. Pipe Flow Expert defines the elements of the pipeline system in a series of matrix equations and uses the Newton method to adjust the estimates for the flow rate in each pipe. Once an approximate solution has been obtained, the results are refined using a variation of the Newton method to ensure convergence until a balanced pressure result is obtained. The results of the flow rates for each pipe, the fluid velocities for each pipe, Reynolds numbers, friction factors, friction pressure losses for each pipe, fittings pressure losses, pressure at join points (nodes), HGL (hydraulic grade line), pump operating points and more can be viewed on the drawing and on the results grid.

Minimum Operating System Requirements Pipe Flow Expert has been designed to work on the following operating systems:

• Microsoft® Windows 8 (all versions except RT [used on ARM based tablets] ) • Microsoft® Windows 7 (all versions) • Microsoft® Windows Vista (all versions) • Microsoft® Windows XP (all versions)

It is recommended that your computer system has at least the following minimum specification:

• Processor: 1.00 GHz Intel® Pentium (or similar). • Memory: 1.0 GB of RAM. • Display: Color Monitor with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels

Microsoft® Excel is required if the user wishes to export the results tables to a spreadsheet format.


Registration and Licensing Information Pipe Flow Expert is a software package that is provided for use on personal computer systems. Installation When the program is installed it generates a unique product number that is shown on the registration screen when you run the program. A matching license code must be entered to fully enable and license the software.

Figure 1 Pipe Flow Expert License Registration

Purchasing a License Each installation of the software requires a license that must be purchased from www.PipeFlow.com - current prices are shown on the web site. Once enabled, the software can be used ‘forever’ on the machine to which it was installed. You do not require an internet connection when licensing and enabling the software. Moving a License We have a method of allowing a user to move the license to another machine and this service is provided free of charge for those users who have an ongoing annual support and maintenance agreement. A fee is charged for generating a new license code for users who do not have an ongoing annual support package.


Network Licensing The software can be operated over a network and used by a number of concurrent users. Network installation is simple and only requires that the software is installed to a shared network drive. Each user then runs the program as normal from the shared drive. When licensing the program you will need to purchase a software license that supports the maximum number of concurrent users that you require. Please email [email protected] with your network licensing requirements to obtain a competitive quote for your specific needs. Software Distribution Note All of our software is provided via download from our web sites at www.pipeflow.com and www.pipeflow.co.uk We do not provide the software on CD, since it would be exactly the same as the program that can be downloaded from our web site. This helps to reduce our costs, which allows us to offer lower prices for our customers and also guarantees that the user is always installing the latest version of the software. Users are free to make their own CD copy of the software, however every installation of the program will generate a new product code and a new license code will still be required.

New Customers Those of you who have previously purchased software from us will already be assured of our reputation and will not be concerned about receiving the software via download. However we understand that as a new customer you may be concerned that you do not get a CD with the software on. If we provided the software on CD it would be the exact same program that you can download from our web site (in fact the web site will always carry the very latest version of the software). Having a CD would not allow you to install and enable the software on multiple computers, since each installation would still generate a unique product number and would require a matching license code. When you purchase a program from our web site, you will automatically be emailed with a unique purchase token and an invoice/receipt that confirms your purchase. This is all you need for proof of purchase and we will always be able to confirm your purchase in our database. We have sold software via download for over 10 years. We are not one of those companies who you will not be able to contact or get a response from. As our existing customers know, our service and assistance with any issues you may have is worth far more than just having the software on CD.

Summary

• Pipe Flow Expert can be downloaded and installed for a free trial.

• A license code can be purchased from our web site that will fully enable the software.

• A user can be up and running with a licensed version of the software within a few minutes.

• 90 days of annual support and maintenance is provided with your purchase of Pipe Flow Expert.

• Ongoing annual support and maintenance can be purchased from our web site (this provides email support and guarantees that you will always be able to use the latest version of the software).

mailto:[email protected]�


http://www.pipeflow.co.uk/�


Contacting PipeFlow.com Email: [email protected]

Internet: http://www.pipeflow.com UK Telephone: +44 (0)1625 509142

USA Telephone: +1 650-276-3569

+1 650-276-FLOW

PipeFlow.com and PipeFlow.co.uk are trading names of Daxesoft Ltd (U.K. Registered Company)

Additional Pipe Flow Software Programs Pipe Flow Wizard - "What if?" Calculations on a Single Pipe for Liquids and Gases Pipe Flow Wizard is able to perform four different calculations depending on the known information. It can calculate:

• Pressure Drops • Flow Rates • Size of Internal Diameters • Pipe Lengths

Pipe Flow Wizard will perform calculations for individual pipes. Pipe Flow Wizard will calculate results for LIQUIDS or COMPRESSED GASES A Fluid Database is included with viscosity and density of common fluids.

Flow Advisor - for Channels and Tanks Flow Advisor may be used to estimate water flow rate from various shaped channels and tanks. It can calculate:

• Open Channel Flow • Water Flow Rates • Time taken to empty tanks • Volume, Capacity, Weight and Expansion

A Materials Database is included with density and coefficient of expansion of common materials. All of our software can be downloaded for a free trial by visiting www.pipeflow.com Once you have installed a trial version of one of our software products it can be fully enabled and licensed by buying a purchase token / license from our web site. You can be up and running with a fully licensed program within just a couple of minutes

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Interface and Menus This section details the different features of the Pipe Flow Expert interface. For each feature, there is an explanation, a screen shot and a table providing descriptions for each element of the feature. The sections following this section provide instructions for using the Pipe Flow Expert application.

Figure 2 Pipe Flow Expert interface

Menu Bar The menu bar has nine different menu selections to help you navigate and work in Pipe Flow Expert.

Figure 3 Menu Bar


File Menu

Figure 4 File Menu

Menu Items Description

New Opens a new drawing grid in the Drawing pane.

New Tab Opens a new drawing grid in a new tab. Tabbed Design Sheets let you work on multiple systems simultaneously. Up to 4 different systems may be worked on concurrently using the ‘Tabbed’ system feature.

Open Opens the Open dialog. Select a .pfe file and click the Open button to open a pipe system drawing in Pipe Flow Expert.

Open Examples Opens the Example Systems screen. Select an example and click the Load This Example System button to open an example system drawing in Pipe Flow Expert.

Save Saves your changes to the pipe system drawing.

Save As Opens the Save As dialog. Browse to where you want to save the pipe system, name the .pfe file, and click Save.

Save Screen Image Save an image of the visible drawing area as a jpeg file.

Save Screen as EMF Metafile Save the drawing as an Enhanced Metafile.

Email System Opens a new email message with a .pfe file of your current design attached to an email.


Email Screen Image Opens a new e-mail message with a jpeg of the screen image attached to the e-mail.

Create PDF – System Drawing Create a PDF document of the system drawing.

Create PDF – Customized Report

Create a PDF customized report, including cover sheet with logo image, system drawing and results tables. Including a high resolution pump graph with performance curves.

Print Opens the Printing Information dialog. Type the page title and click the Print button to print the image currently visible in the Drawing pane.

Page Setup Opens the Print Setup dialog. Define your printing preferences and click OK

Recover from AutoSave Files Pipe Flow Expert will automatically save a backup of your current design at approximately 5 minute intervals. In the event of a problem you can try to load the most recent backup file to try and recover your system.

Purge Auto Saved Files Delete the files created by the auto save feature.

Exit Closes the application.


Edit Menu

Figure 5 Edit Menu


Undo The last node or pipe action performed in the Drawing pane is undone.

Redo The last undo action is redone.

Cut Selected items are cut to the clipboard.

Copy Selected items are copied to the clipboard.

Paste Items on the clipboard are pasted in the Drawing pane.

Delete Selected item(s) are deleted.

Selection: Rotate +90 Degrees Selected items are rotated 90 degrees clockwise

Selection: Rotate -90 Degrees Selected items are rotated 90 degrees anticlockwise

Selection: Mirror Items Left/Right Selected items are mirrored left to right

Selection: Invert Items Up/Down Selected items are inverted up to down

Edit Grid – Sheet View Opens an edit grid allowing details of pipes, nodes and valves etc. to be amended.


Units Menu

Figure 6 Units Menu


Imperial Units Converts all values to imperial units.

Metric Units Converts all values to metric units.

Specify Units Opens the Units tab of the Configurations Options dialog. Use the Units tab to define the units for each element of the pipe system drawing.

Fluid Menu

Figure 7 Fluid Menu



Change Fluid Opens the Fluid data dialog. Use the Fluid data dialog to define the fluid for the selected fluid zone.

Create New Fluid Zone Opens the Fluid Manager to select a fluid for a new Fluid Zone

Delete Current Fluid Zone Delete the current fluid zone from the system. All pipes that previously contained this fluid will now contain the fluid from zone 1.

Change Color for this Fluid Zone

Select a background highlight color for this fluid zone.

Select / Add Pipes to this Fluid Zone

Display the fluid zone selection rectangle. Click and drag the rectangle to enclose the pipes to be set to the current fluid zone

On / Off Show Colors for Fluid Zones

Toggle the fluid zone background highlight colors on or off.

Reset Fluid Zones to Default Colors

Reset all fluid zone colors to the default color for each fluid zone.


Drawing Menu

Figure 8 Drawing Menu


Set Standard Drawing Mode Set rectangular grid drawing mode

Set Isometric Drawing Mode Set isometric grid drawing mode

Isometric Tank View From Left Show isometric tanks viewed from left

Isometric Tank View From Right Show isometric tanks viewed from right

Mirror View (Switch Left/Right) Mirror the complete drawing

Invert View (Switch Top/Bottom) Invert the complete drawing

Change Default Pipe Values

Opens the Default Values tab of the Configurations Options dialog. Use the Default Values tab to define default values for the next pipe to be drawn in the pipe system.

Choose Labelling Options Opens the Labelling tab of the Configurations Options dialog. Use the Labelling tab to define how the pipe system drawing is labelled.

Zoom to Fit on Screen Resize the drawing and centre in the visible drawing area


Tools Menu

Figure 9 Tools Menu


Edit Grid – Sheet View Amend data for Pipes, Tanks, End Pressures, Nodes, FCVs, PRVs, BPVs, Cv Values, Kv Values, Fixed Losses, Pumps (Fixed Flow), Pumps (Fixed Head) and Pumps (Curve). The data in the grid may be over typed with new data – changes will be made immediately as each item of data is amended.

Options Opens the Configuration Options screen. Use the Configuration Options to configure the pipe system.

License Menu

Figure 10 License Menu


License Status Displays the current license status and registration information.

View License Agreement View agreement between Licensor and Licensee

Move this License Displays instructions that explain how to deactivate the current license and obtain a license removal confirmation code. How to create a new installation (which will require a new license code). Users need to maintain ongoing support to receive licensing assistance.


Documentation Menu

Figure 11 Documentation Menu


Open Quick Start Guide PDF Open the Quick Start Guide PDF document

Open User Guide PDF Open the full User Guide PDF document

Open Example Systems PDF Open the Examples Systems PDF document

Open Results Verification PDF Open the Calculation Results Verification PDF document

Open Pipe Flow Brochure PDF Open the Pipe Flow Expert PDF Brochure.


Help Menu

Figure 12 Help Menu


Contents Displays the Help information starting at the contents page.

Index Displays the Help information starting at the index page.

Load Example Systems Lists the examples systems that can be loaded, viewed, and the results calculated.

Create a System – Step by Step

Displays the Help information starting at the page that describes how to create a system using a step by step walkthrough of each operation.

License Status Displays the current license status and registration information.

Move This License Displays instructions that explain how to deactivate the current license and obtain a license removal confirmation code. How to create a new installation (which will require a new license code). Users need to maintain ongoing support to receive licensing assistance..

Go to www.pipeflow.com Launches an internet browser window to view the Pipe Flow web site.

About Pipe Flow Expert Displays a pop-up window that shows details about the software.


Tool Bar Most of the Pipe Flow Expert functions can be performed by using a button on the tool bar. The Re-Design, Results Sheet, Results PDF and Show Log buttons are only available on the tool bar after you click the Calculate button on the tool bar. The tool bar also contains a field for determining whether the unit values displayed in Pipe Flow Expert and the pipe system are imperial or metric. The first step in creating a pipe system is to select the Imperial or Metric option. You can define whether imperial or metric values are used from the tool bar, the Units menu, or from the Units tab in the Configuration Options dialog. Inches, feet, and gallons are examples of imperial units. Centimeters, meters, and liters are examples of metric units.

Tool Bar Buttons

Button Name and Description

New Grid – Opens a new drawing grid.

Open File – Opens the Open dialog. Select a .pfe file and click the Open button to open an existing pipe system drawing in Pipe Flow Expert.

Save File – Saves your changes to the pipe system drawing.

Email System Information – Opens a new e-mail message with the pipe system .pfe file attached to the e-mail.

Email Screen Image – Opens a new e-mail message with a jpeg of the screen image attached to the e-mail.

Print – Opens the Printing Information dialog. Type the page title and click the Print button to print the image currently visible in the Drawing pane.

Create PDF of System Drawing – Produces a high resolution PDF of the system drawing including items which may be currently off-screen.

Toggle Isometric Grid – Switch to Isometric Drawing Grid, or back to Standard Grid.

Choose Labelling – Opens the Labelling tab of the Configurations Options dialog. Use the Labelling tab to define how the pipe system is labelled in the Drawing pane.

Choose Units – Opens the Units tab of the Configurations Options dialog. Use the Units tab to define the units for each element of the pipe system.

Set Pipe Default Drawing Values – Opens the Pipe Settings tab of the Configurations Options dialog. Use the Pipe Settings tab to define the pipe default values for drawing or to copy some of the pipe attributes to selected pipes in the system.

Network Grid View – Opens a grid to display details of pipes, tanks, end pressures and nodes. The data displayed in the grid may be edited to change the network data. Any changes are applied immediately to the drawing.


The Hint pane displays tips for using the button currently selected on the tool bar. The Hint pane displays tips for the following buttons:

In Results mode the Hint pane is used to display information about the flow rates in pipes, velocities in pipes, pressure drop in pipes, pressures at join points, HGL (hydraulic grade line), elevations of tanks and nodes, and fluid heads in the pipeline system. Items are highlighted by clicking on an item in the drawing pane. Data for the highlighted item is displayed in the hint pane.

Fluid – Opens the Fluid menu, select change fluid to open the Fluid data dialog. Use the Fluid data dialog to define the fluid for the currently selected fluid zone. Select other fluid menu options to change the fluid zone color or to create a new fluid zone or to delete a fluid zone.

Zoom Out – Moves the focus of the pipe system out to see more of the drawing at a reduced size in the Drawing pane.

Zoom In – Moves the focus of the pipe system in to get a close-up view in the Drawing pane.

Move to Centre of Grid – Centers the pipe system on the drawing grid.

Show Item Info – Select the show information cursor. Click an item in the Drawing pane to display its details in the Node pane, Pipe pane, or dialog associated with the selected component.

Pan the Drawing – Select the move grid cursor. Click in the Drawing pane, and while holding down the left mouse button, move the mouse to pan the drawing.

Drag and Move Items – Highlights all items on the drawing. Select a highlighted object, and while holding down the left mouse button, drag the object to its new position.

Add Tank – Select the tank cursor. Click where you want to add a tank in the Drawing pane. Use the Node pane to enter the Elevation, Liquid level and Fluid surface pressure for the tank.

Add Demand (Pressure) – Select the end pressure cursor. Click where you want to add a fixed pressure demand in the Drawing pane. Use the Node pane to enter the pressure and elevation for this fixed pressure demand.

Add Join Point – Select the join point (node) cursor. Click where you want to add a pipe join point in the Drawing pane.

Add Pipes – Select the draw pipes cursor. Click on a node in the Drawing pane where you want to add a pipe, and then click where you want the pipe to end. Right-click to turn off the rubber banding.

Add Fittings – Select the valve and fittings cursor. Click on the pipe on which you want to add valves or fittings. Use the Pipe fittings friction coefficients dialog to select the valves or fitting to be added.

Add Component Pressure Loss – Select the component cursor. Click on the pipe on which you want to add a component. Use the Component pressure loss dialog to enter the pressure loss characteristics of the component.


Add Control Valve – Select the control valve cursor. Click on the pipe on which you want to add a control valve. Use the Control data dialog to choose a flow valve type. Choose a Flow Control Valve (FCV) to set the flow rate required in the pipe, or a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) to set the pressure required at the end of the pipe, or a Back Pressure Valve (BPV) to set the pressure required at the start of the pipe.

Add Pump – Select the pump cursor. Click on the pipe on which you want to add a pump. Use the Pump data dialog to enter the pump performance characteristics.

Add Demand (Flow) – Select the add demand flow cursor. Click on a node in the Drawing pane where you want to set a demand flow. Use the Flow demands dialog to set the In-flows or Out-flows at the selected node.

Toggle to Open/Close a Pipe – Select the open/close pipe cursor. Click on a pipe in the Drawing pane where you want to close a pipe or to re-open a pipe that has been closed previously.

Add Text – Add Free text labels to the drawing.

Selection Tool – Select the selection rectangle cursor. Click in the Drawing pane, and while holding down the left mouse button, drag the mouse to create a rectangle around the item(s) you want to select for cutting, copying, pasting, deleting or moving. You can select multiple items to cut, copy, paste, delete or move as a group. Click the right mouse button to exit from selection mode.

Cut – Selected items are cut to the clipboard.

Copy – Selected items are copied to the clipboard.

Paste – Items on the clipboard are pasted in the Drawing pane.

Mirror – Selected items are mirrored left / right.

Invert – Selected items are inverted up / down.

Zoom Selected Area – Displays the selection area in a close-up view in the centre of the Drawing pane.

Select Individual Pipes and Nodes – Use the Adjust attributes of Selected Pipes tool button to display the Pipe Settings tab to make changes to all selected pipes. Use the Adjust attributes of Selected Nodes tool button to display the Node Settings tab to make changes to all selected nodes.

Adjust Attributes of Selected Pipes – Opens the Pipe Settings tab of the Configurations Options dialog. Use the Pipe Settings tab to copy various attributes of the default pipe to each of the pipes selected. The Selection Tool may be used to Select a group of pipes prior to opening the Pipe Settings tab. Individual pipes can be added or removed from the selected list by checking or un-checking the box adjacent to the pipe description.

Adjust Attributes of Selected Nodes – Opens the Node Updates tab of the Configurations Options dialog. Use the Node Updates tab to copy node elevation and images to each of the nodes selected. The Selection Tool may be used to Select a group of nodes prior to opening the Node Updates tab. Individual nodes can be added or removed from the selected list by checking or un-checking the box adjacent to the node description.

Delete – Selected item(s) are deleted. If a selected item is a node then all pipes which connect to the node will also be deleted.

Undo last action – The last add pipe or node action performed in the Drawing pane is undone.


Redo last undo action – The last undo action is redone.

Calculate – Calculates the flow and pressure at each node of the pipe system drawing. The calculation results are displayed on the Results window.

Re Design – Changes the view back to the design mode. The pipe system is displayed in drawing mode again. This button is only visible on the tool bar after clicking the Calculate button.

Results – Opens the Results window. This button is only visible on the tool bar after clicking the Calculate button.

Results PDF – Opens the Results PDF dialog. Add a logo, chose the options required and produce a PDF of the results, including a system image and pump graphs. This button is only visible on the tool bar after clicking the Calculate button.

Show Log – Opens the Results Log dialog. The Results Log dialog indicates whether the pipe system was solved. This button is only visible on the tool bar after clicking the Calculate button.

Example Systems – Opens the Example Systems dialog. Over 40 examples systems are provided to illustrate usage of the Pipe Flow Expert software. This button is only visible on the tool bar if design mode is selected.

Next Example – Loads the Next Example System from the examples systems dialog. This button is only visible on the tool bar if design mode is selected.

New Tab – Opens a new design sheet allowing users to work on multiple systems simultaneously. Tabbed Sheets work in both Design View and Results Mode. Switch between different system models with a single click


Keyboard Shortcuts

Various keyboard shortcuts are provided which duplicate the actions of some Menu system options and some of the Tool Bar buttons.

• CTRL+N, for New Tab • CTRL+X, for Cut • CTRL-C, for Copy • CTRL-V for Paste • CTRL-DEL key for delete operations. • CTRL+O for Open. • CTRL+S for Save. • CTRL+P for Print. • CTRL+ALT+O for Open Examples. • CTRL+R for Rotate +90 Degrees • CTRL+ALT+R for Rotate -90 Degrees • CTRL+M for Mirror Items Left/Right. • CTRL+I for Invert Items Up/Down. • CTRL+Z for Zoom to fit on screen

Node Pane The Node pane displays the properties of the node selected on the pipe system in the Drawing pane. The type of node selected in the Type field determines which features are available in the Node pane.

Node Types

A node can be a join point, tank, or demand pressure–referred to as End Pressure in the Node pane. The type of node selected is shown in the Type field. The type of node can be changed by selecting from the options shown in drop down type list. Nodes are located at the beginning and end of a pipe and at the junction of pipes in a pipe system. You can use the drop down Node Id list next to the Node name field to select an individual node or to scroll through each of the nodes in the pipe system.

Click the zoom button next to the drop down Node Id list to redisplay the drawing with the selected node at the center of the visible drawing area.

The Node pane is also used to enter and edit the specific details for the selected node. The values and units displayed in the node pane are determined by the units selected on the Units tab in the Configuration Options dialog. The selected units can also be switched on mass between a predefined set of imperial and metric units.


Tank Node Data

Figure 13 Tank Node Pane

Feature Description

Node The name of the node currently selected in the Drawing pane. Use the Node field to edit the node name.

Node Id List Use the Node Drop Down List to select a node or to scroll through each of the nodes in the pipe system.

Type (Tank) The type of node currently selected in the Drawing pane. Use the Type field to modify the node type. There are three types of nodes – join point, tank, or fixed pressure demand (End Pressure).

Type (Tank Icon) Displays the image representing the selected tank in the Drawing pane. Use the Icon button to select the tank image you want displayed on the pipe system drawing. The icon size can be selected from a range of scales. The image you select does not affect any of the tank’s properties or values.

Surface Pressure The surface pressure of the fluid in the tank expressed in the units displayed.

Liquid Level The amount of fluid above the tank exit point expressed in the units displayed.

Elevation (Exit from tank) The elevation at the exit point of the tank expressed in the units displayed.

Notes Notes about the node currently selected in the Drawing pane. Notes can be up to 200 characters.


End Pressure Data

Figure 14 End Pressure Node Pane

Feature Description


Node Id List Use the Node Drop Down List to select a node or to scroll through each of the nodes in the pipe system.

Type (End Pressure) The type of node currently selected in the Drawing pane. Use the Type field to modify the node type. There are three types of nodes – join point, tank, or demand pressure (End Pressure).

Type (End Pressure Icon) Displays the image representing the selected demand pressure in the Drawing pane. Use the Icon button to select the end pressure image you want displayed on the pipe system drawing. The icon size can be selected from a range of scales. The image you select does not affect any of the demand pressure’s properties or values.

Pressure The required pressure for the end pressure expressed in the units displayed.

Elevation (of Pressure Point) The elevation of the end pressure expressed in the units displayed.



Join Point Data

Figure 15 Join Point Node Pane

Feature Description

Node Identification Number

Use the Node Drop Down List to select a node or to scroll through each of the nodes in the pipe system.


Type (Join Point) The type of node currently selected in the Drawing pane. Use the Type field to modify the node type. There are three types of nodes – join point, tank, or demand pressure (End Pressure).

Type (Join Point) Icon Displays the image representing the join point in the Drawing pane. Use the Icon button to select the join point image you want displayed on the pipe system drawing. The icon size can be selected from a range of scales. The image you select does not affect any of the joint point properties or values.

Elevation of Join Point The elevation of the join point expressed in the units displayed.

Demands In (at Join Point) View the In Flow to the system at this node. Click edit to change.

Demands Out (at Join Point) View the Out Flow from the system at this node. Click edit to change.

Edit buttons (Join Point) Opens the Set Flow Demands dialog. This dialog is used to set a demand flow on the join point.



Flow Demands

Flow demands can only be added at a node if the type selected is a Join Point.

Figure 16 Flow Demands

Feature Description

In Flow Rate Entering The System

The flow rate entering the system at this node expressed in the units displayed.

Out Flow Rate Leaving The System

The flow rate leaving the system at this node expressed in the units displayed.

OK Confirm any changes that have been made.

Cancel Close the dialog without making any changes.


Pipe Pane A pipe can have many features, such as name, length, internal diameter, roughness, nominal size, material, schedule or class reference, internal volume and surface area. The data for some of these features, such as name, length, internal diameter and roughness can be entered directly into the pipe pane input boxes (other features would be left unchanged and may have to be amended at a later time). To set all the features of a pipe use the Diameter and Material buttons to access the selection dialogs. Pipe Flow Expert allows fittings and valves, components, flow control valves and pumps to be added to a pipe. The selection dialogs to add or change the data for these items can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate button in the pipe pane.

Pipe Features

Figure 17 Pipe Pane and Pipe Sub-menu

Feature Description

Pipe Identification Number Use the Pipe Drop Down List to select a pipe or to scroll through each of the pipes in the pipe system.

Name The name of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane. Use the Name field to edit the pipe name.

Length The length of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane. Use the length field to change the length of the pipe.


Internal Diameter The internal diameter of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane. Use the internal diameter field to change the internal size of the pipe. Click the Diam? button to display the Pipe Diameter Database sizes.

Roughness The internal roughness of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane. Use the roughness field to change the internal roughness of the pipe. Click the Material button to display the Pipe Material Database.

Notes Notes about the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane. Notes can be up to 200 characters.

Pipe Color and Line Width Set the color and line width of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Add/Change Fittings button Opens the Pipe fitting friction coefficients database. Use the database to add and maintain fittings on a pipe. The number of fittings on the pipe is displayed next to the fitting image on the Add/Change Fitting button.

Add/Change Component Pressure Loss button

Add a component to the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane. Change the Pressure Loss characteristics for the component. A number is displayed next to the Component image to indicate if the component is active.

Add/Change Control Valve button

Add a control valve to the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane. Set the maximum flow rate in the pipe by using a flow Control Valve (FCV), or set the pressure at the end of the pipe by using a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV), or set the pressure at the start of the pipe by using a Back Pressure Valve (BPV). A number is displayed next to the Control Valve image to indicate if the Control Valve is active.

Add/Change Pump button Add a pump to the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane. Enter the flow rate and head characteristics for various points on the pump performance curve. A number is displayed next to the Pump image to indicate if the Pump is active.

Include check boxes Include/Exclude status for various items added to the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane. i.e. Fittings & Valves, Components, Control Valves, Pumps.

Diam? Display the Pipe Diameter Size Database. A Double Click on a pipe will also display the Pipe Diameter Size Database.

Material Display the Pipe Material Database.

More…. Opens the pipe sub menu which provides further options to: • Re-Open / Close Pipe • Reverse Pipe Direction • Prevent Backflow – On / Off • Move / Unlink end of Pipe • Use Pipe Values for as default for the next pipe to be drawn • Change Fluid Zone (for pipe) • Close sub menu

A Right Click on a pipe will also display the pipe sub menu.


Pipe Material Data

Figure 18 Pipe Material Data

Feature Description

Material The material description of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Schedule/Class The Schedule/Class description of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Internal Roughness The internal roughness of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Nominal Size The Nominal Size description of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Internal Diam. The internal diameter of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Wall Thick The wall thickness of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Outside Diam The outside diameter of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Weight The weight per unit length of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Internal Vol. The internal volume (ft³/100 ft or m³/100m) of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Surface Area The external surface area (ft²/100 ft or m²/100m) of the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.

Save Pipe This button is not available during pipe material selection.

Cancel (Changes) This button is not available during pipe material selection.


Change Material Show Listing of available pipe data materials.

Select Show size data for selected material.

Cancel Revert to previously selected size listing.

Add New Material Create a new material category to which new pipe sizes can be added.

Remove Material Remove a material category.


Pipe Diameter Data

Figure 19 Pipe Diameter Data

Feature Description

Material The material description of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Schedule/Class The Schedule/Class description of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Internal Roughness The internal roughness of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Nominal Size The Nominal Size description of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Internal Diam. The internal diameter of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Wall Thick The wall thickness of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Outside Diam The outside diameter of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Weight The weight per unit length of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane

Internal Vol. The internal volume (ft³/100 ft or m³/100m) of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Surface Area The external surface area (ft²/100 ft or m²/100m) of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.


Save Pipe Save the selected data to the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Cancel Close the Pipe Diameter database without making any changes.

Transfer Selected Size Copy size data from data listing to entry boxes (at top of the screen).

Size data listing Listing of pipe sizes.

Metric or Imperial Display size data in metric or imperial units.

Change Material Display data dialog for pipe material.

Add new size Display input boxes for new pipe size data.

Remove entry Remove a pipe size.


Pipe Fittings Database

Figure 20 Pipe Fittings Database

Feature Description

Symbol Fitting type symbol.

Type Fitting type short code.

Metric Nominal metric fitting size.

Imperial Nominal imperial fitting size.

Description Fitting description.

K value Local loss coefficient of fitting.

Qty Quantity of fittings.

Save Save the fitting selections to the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Clear Clear the fitting selections.

Cancel Close the Pipe Fittings Database without making any changes.

Pipe Size Click to display fittings to match the current pipe size.

Metric Pipe Sizes (mm) Drop down list of metric pipe sizes, click to display matching fitting sizes.

Imperial Pipe Sizes (inch) Drop down list of imperial pipe sizes, click to display matching fitting sizes.

Fitting Database Listing of fittings and friction coefficients.


Add Selected Item On To Pipe Copy fitting data from listing to the list on the currently selected pipe.

Calculate K value Calculate local loss coefficient for: entrance rounded, gradual enlargement, gradual contraction, sudden enlargement, sudden contraction or long pipe bend.

Create new fitting Create data for non standard fittings.

Remove entry Remove data from fittings database.


Component Pressure Loss

Figure 21 Component Pressure Loss

Feature Description

Component Name Name of the component.

Pressure Loss Scroll buttons Choose symbol for the component.

Fixed Loss Pressure loss will be fixed.

Curve Loss Pressure loss will be calculated from component flow / head data.

Flow Flow rate values for operating range of component.

Pressure Loss Pressure loss for each of the flow rate entries.

Generate Curve Create a set of curve points from first three data points.

Cv Flow Coefficient Value Model pressure loss through a valve with a Cv flow coefficient

Kv Flow Coefficient Value Model pressure loss through a valve with a Kv flow coefficient

OK Add the component to the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.


Clear Clear the pressure loss data.

Delete Remove the component from the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Save To File Save the component details to a file.

Load From File Load the component details from a file.


Control Valve Data

Figure 22 Control Valve Data

Feature Description

Control Name Name of the control valve or P&ID number.

Flow Control Valve Set control flow rate in the units displayed.

Pressure Reducing Valve Set pressure required at the end of the pipe.

Back Pressure Valve Set back pressure required at the start of the pipe.

Specify Allowable dP Range Set allowable dP Range, a warning will be issued if the actual dP is outside the lower and upper values.

OK Add the control valve type to the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.


Delete Remove the control valve from the pipe currently selected in the Drawing pane.


Pump Data

Figure 23 Pump Data

The main features of the pump data dialog are listed in the table below. The pump section later in this document provides further details of the Graph Options, the Pump Data Menu options and the options for opening the Pump Database, adding a pump to the Pump Database, Import of a Curve Image and creating a Pump Data Sheet. Feature Description

Name Name of the pump.

Distance Along Pipe Location of the pump from start of the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

at Elevation Elevation of the pump.

Pump Scroll buttons Choose symbol for the pump.

Set Flow Rate Enter flow rate to model a pump with a fixed flow rate

Set Head Increase Enter a head or pressure to model the additional motive force from a pump

Set Speed (rpm) Operating speed of a pump with a performance curve.

Set Impeller Diameter Set impeller diameter size & units


Flow Flow rate values for operating range of pump. Displayed in units selected from drop down list.

Head Head generated for each of the flow rate entries. Displayed in units selected from drop down list.

Efficiency Efficiency of the pump at each of the operating data points.

NPSHr The Net Positive Suction Head requirement at the inlet of the pump for the flow rate value.

From (% of BEP) Start of preferred operating region.

To (% of BEP) End of preferred operating region.

Clear Pump Curve Clear the pump data.

Delete Pump Remove the pump from the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Cancel and Close Close the dialog without saving any changes

Graph Options Opens additional graph options customization dialog. Allows creation of additional data curves and adjustment of Iso efficiency lines. See later section about Pumps for further details.

Draw Graph Draw a pump graph based on entered data points.

Save Pump to Pipe Add the pump to the pipe currently selected in the drawing pane.

Pump Catalog The name of the pump catalog.

Manufacturer The name of the pump manufacturer.

Type The type of pump.

Motor rpm The motor speed.

Pump Size The pump size reference.

Stages The number of pump stages.

Notes Notes about the pump. Notes can be up to 200 characters.

Min Speed The minimum operating speed of the pump.

Max Speed The maximum operating speed of the pump.

Min Impeller The minimum impeller diameter for the pump.

Max Impeller The maximum impeller diameter for the pump.

Speed (rpm) Operating speed of the pump impellor diameter for the duty curve.

Diam The diameter of the pump impeller, in the units shown.

Flow The flow rate of the pump duty point, in the units shown.

Head The head produced by the pump at the duty point, in the units shown.

NPSHr The Net Positive Suction Head requirement at the inlet of the pump for the flow rate at the duty point.

Effic. % The pump efficiency at the duty point.

Power The shaft power required at the duty point.

Calculate (Button) Click to calculate the duty point details for an entered flow rate or head requirement.

Logo (Button) Add a logo to the pump graph image

Expand (Button) Expand graph to show in full window


Drawing Pane


Figure 24 Drawing Panes Standard or Isometric

Feature Description

Drawing Grid The drawing grid shows details of the pipeline system. The information to be displayed, such as size, length, elevation, flow rate etc. can be selected from the configuration options labelling tab.

Hint Feature The Hint pane, located above the tool bar, displays tips for using the button currently selected on the tool bar.

Zoom Feature If your mouse is suitable the drawing size can be zoomed larger or smaller using the mouse scroll wheel.

Drawing Size Display The drawing size can be selected from the drop down listing between the Zoom Out and the Zoom In buttons.

Zoom Out Button Click to make the drawing size smaller by one step.

Zoom In Button Click to make the drawing size larger by one step.

Zoom drawing to fit on screen Click to fit all of the drawing on the screen.

Pipe Flow Expert offers a choice of a drawing grid with square increments for standard designs or an isometric grid for use where it is desirable to create an isometric view. It is possible to toggle between standard / isometric design grids. Moving from a standard grid to an isometric grid transposes the standard drawing on to a flat isometric plane. A user can then adjust/move the nodes as necessary to produce a drawing that looks 3D. Moving from an isometric grid to a standard grid transposes the isometric drawing to a flattened view that produces a near plan view (except that PipeFlow Expert does not allow nodes to appear at the same point on the grid and therefore nodes directly above or below each other on the isometric grid are offset at a diagonal angle when transposed to the flat view). The system design can be amended in either drawing mode.


Configuration Options Screen Pipe Flow Expert can be configured to suit your requirements.

• The labelling options which show on the drawing can be selected.

• The units in which to display lengths, diameters, head loss, velocity etc. can be chosen.

• The details of a default pipe can be chosen – these details will be used to draw any new pipes.

• Various pipe attributes may be copied to a range of selected pipes.

• An elevation value and a node image may be copied to a range of selected nodes.

• The results screen drawing can be displayed using a color gradient, to indicate the range of flow rates, fluid velocities, friction loss, hydraulic gradient line and elevations etc.

• The calculation tolerances can be changed.

Labelling Tab

Figure 25 Configuration Options - Labelling Tab


Feature Description

Show Name (Pipes) Show name of the pipe on the drawing.

Show Diameter Show diameter of the pipe on the drawing.

Show Length Show length of the pipe on the drawing.

Show Pipe # Show the pipe number on the drawing.

Component Name Show component name on the drawing.

Flow Control Name Show flow control name on the drawing.

Show Values Show valve symbol on the drawing, if valve is present on pipe.

Show Total K Value Show total K value on the drawing, for all fittings on the pipe.

Show Bends Show bend symbol on the drawing, if bend is present on pipe.

Show Pump Name Show pump name on the drawing.

Show Distance on Pipe Show the pump position along pipe on the drawing.

Show Elevation (Pump) Show the pump elevation on the drawing.

Show Name (Node) Show the name of node on the drawing.

Show Elevation (Node) Show the node elevation on the drawing.

Show Tank Info Show the Tank Information on the drawing.

Show Node # Show the pipe number on the drawing.

Pipe Results Show Flow Rate

Show the volume flow rate on drawing.

Show Mass Flow Show the mass flow rate on drawing.

Show Velocity Show the fluid velocity on the drawing.

Show Total Pressure Drop Show the total pressure drop of the pipe, the fittings and the component on the drawing.

Fitting Results Do Not Show on drawing

Do not show the total pressure drop of the fittings on the drawing.

Show Pressure Loss through fittings

Show the pressure drop of the fittings on the drawing.

Pump Results Do Not Show on drawing

Do not show the pump results data on the drawing.

Show Pump Head Show the pump head on the drawing.

Show NPSH available Show the net positive suction head available at the pump inlet on the drawing.

Node Results Do Not Show on drawing

Do not show the pressure at the nodes.

Show Pressure at Node Show the pressure at the nodes on the drawing.

OK Confirm changes to configuration options.

Cancel Close the labelling tab without making any changes.


Units Tab

Figure 26 Configuration Options - Units Tab

Feature Description

Length Select the units for display of the pipe lengths.

Diameter Select the units for display of the pipe internal diameters.

Roughness Select the units for display of the pipe internal roughness.

Head Losses Select the units for display of the head losses

Flow Rate Select the units for display of the flow rates.

Mass Flow Select the units for display of the mass flow rates

Velocity Select the units for display of the fluid velocities.

Weight Select the units for display of the pipe weights.

Volume Select the units for display of the internal pipe volumes.

Surface Area Select the units for display of the surface areas of the pipes.

Energy Select the units for display of the energy usage

Tanks, Nodes, Control & Components: Pressure

Select the units for display of pressure.

Liquid Level Select the units for display of the fluid liquid level.


System Results: Elevation

Select the units for display of the elevations of the nodes.

Atmosphere Value of standard atmosphere in absolute pressure units.

Pressure Ref. Select Gage or Absolute pressure units.

Pressure Select the units for display of the pressures at join points (nodes).

Temperature Select option for display of the fluid temperatures.

Density Select the units for display of the fluid density

Imperial or Metric Select general option for Imperial or Metric displays.

OK Confirm changes to configuration options.



Pipe Settings Tab If you will be using the same type of pipe throughout the pipe system, you can define the default pipe type using the Pipe Settings tab in the Configuration Options dialog. When the default pipe values are set, each time you add a pipe to the system, the pipe type and values are automatically defined for the pipe. You can customize the values for an individual pipe in the system by editing its values in the Pipe pane or in the Pipe diameter data dialog. The Pipe diameter data dialog contains a list of the pipe materials and sizes available in the pipe database and additional properties specific to a pipe in the system.

NOTE: Be sure to enter the value for the pipe’s properties in the units displayed next to the field. For example, if you are using metric units, and m for meter is displayed next to the Length field, enter the pipe length value in meters.

Various attributes of the default pipe may be copied to the list of selected pipes.

The Selection Tool or the Individual Pipe Selection Tool may be used to select which pipes are to selected prior to opening the Pipe Settings tab. Individual pipes can

be added or removed from the selected list by checking or un-checking the box adjacent to the pipe description.

Figure 27 Configuration Options - Pipe Settings Tab

Feature Description

Internal Diameter Set the default internal diameter for the next pipe to be added to the drawing.

Diam? Display the Pipe Diameter Database.


Roughness Set the default internal roughness for the next pipe to be added to the drawing.

Material Display the Pipe Material Database.

Length Set the default pipe length for the next pipe to be added to the drawing.

Add/Change Fittings Select the default fittings for the next pipe to be added to the drawing.

Add/Edit Component Set the default data for a component to be added to the drawing.

Pipe Color Select the pipe color and line width for the default pipe.

Copy Internal Diameter Only Copy the internal diameter data to the pipes selected in the listing.

Copy All Diameter Data Copy the internal and outer diameter data to pipes selected in the listing.

Copy Roughness Only Copy the internal roughness to the pipes selected in the listing.

Copy All Material Data Copy the pipe material, schedule/class and internal roughness to the pipes selected in the listing.

Copy Length Only Copy the default pipe length to the pipes selected in the listing.

Copy Fittings Only Copy the default pipe fittings to the pipes selected in the listing.

Copy Components Only Copt the default component to the pipes selected in the listing.

Copy Color and Style Copy the line color and line width to the pipes selected in the listing.

Copy All Pipe Data Copy the default pipe values, including fittings and valves, component and pumps to the pipes selected in the listing.

Open Pipes Open the pipes selected in the listing. Pipes which are currently closed will be shown at the end of the listing.

Close Pipes Close the pipes selected in the listing.

OK Close the configuration options pipe updates tab.


Node Updates Tab

Figure 28 Configuration Options - Node Updates Tab

Feature Description

Copy Node Elevation Copy the elevation to the nodes selected in the listing.

Copy Node Image Copy the node image to the nodes selected in the listing.

Copy Image and Elevation Copy the node image and the elevation to the nodes selected in the listing.

Copy Demand – Flow In Copy the additional flow in values entering the system at the node points selected in the listing.

Copy Demand – Flow Out Copy the additional flow out values leaving the system at the node points selected in the listing.

OK Close the configuration options node updates tab.


Results Colors Tab

Figure 29 Configuration Options - Results Colors tab

Feature Description

Use Design Colors / Use Color Gradient

Select option to display results according to the chosen color gradient.

Determine Results Colors based on a Chosen Category.

Select a results category to be displayed using the chosen color gradient.

Sample Gradients Select a color gradient to be used on the results screen.

Low Color / Middle Color / High Color

Select customized colors to generate a user defined color gradient.

OK Close the results colors tab.

Cancel Close the results colors tab and revert to the previous selection


Calculations Tab

Figure 30 Configuration Options - Calculations Tab

Feature Description

Pressure Balancing Tolerance (Final)

Pressure balance tolerance allowed around a set of pipes forming a loop, for final solution.

Loop Pressure Balancing Tolerance (Initial)

Pressure balance tolerance allowed around a set of pipes forming a loop, for initial solution.

Flow Balance Final Tolerance Mass flow in and mass flow out tolerance allowed at a node (join point)

Max Iterations for Approximate Solution

Maximum calculation iterations allowed to find approximate solution.

Max Iterations for Final Solution

Maximum calculation iterations allowed to find final solution.

Final Iterations Delta Reduction Factor

Rate of adjustment during convergence to final solution.

Min Velocity for Discharge Estimates

Starting velocity estimate for unknown discharge estimation.

Max Velocity for Discharge Estimates

Final velocity estimate for unknown discharge estimation.


Calculation Engine Options to provide alternative methods of solution including: Linear then Newton Convergence. Outflow estimate – Newton Convergence Linear Approx Only Convergence

Final Solution Verification Pressure balance tolerance allowed when verifying the pressure loss between two connected nodes against the calculated pressure at each node, for final solution.

Calculation Warning Parameters

NPSHa < NPSHr plus percentage allowance. If NPSHa is less than NPSHr plus a percentage allowance a warning is issued in the results log.

Liquid Velocity > If the liquid velocity in a pipe exceeds the set value a warning is issued in the results log.

Gas Velocity > If the gas velocity in a pipe exceeds the set value a warning is issued in the results log.

Gas Fluid Density within Zones Avg Gas Density

If the gas fluid density within an individual fluid zone differs from the average gas density by more than the percentage allowance a warning is issued in the results log.

Reset All entries to the Default Values

Restore the standard settings for the calculation parameters.

OK Confirm changes to system calculation options.

Cancel Close the Calculations Tab without making any changes. Note: We recommend that you do not change these values, unless it becomes necessary to solve a very finely balanced system.


Results Tables The results of a pipeline system analysis are displayed in the Results tables. Data for flow rates in pipes, velocities in pipes, pressures at join points, tank elevations, hydraulic grade lines, pump operating points and many more calculated results, can all be viewed in the results tables. The results table interacts with the drawing pane in a two-way manner. If a pipe or a node is selected in the results tables then the pipe or node is selected on the drawing.

Click the ‘Zoom To’ button or a double click on the selected result line to zoom the display to show the selected item in the centre of the drawing area. If a pipe or node is clicked on the

drawing to select it then the results table will also change to show the selected item.

The results display units can be altered by choosing the units required from the configuration options units tab. The results information about the elements of your system can be saved to an Excel spreadsheet file or exported to a new Excel spreadsheet.

Use the tool buttons to carry out the following actions:

• Save the results shown on the active tab to a file.

• Export the active tab results to an Excel spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel is required)

• Paste the active tab results to the Windows clipboard.

• Choose new unit options..

• Zoom to the selected pipe or node.

• Dock the results grid to the base of the drawing window.

• Dock the results grid to the right of the drawing window

Figure 31 Results tables


Feature Description

File menu Select an option to save results in Excel format or to export the results to a new Excel spreadsheet.

Units menu Select option to display the results in Imperial, Metric or selected units.

Save button Save the results data in Excel format.

Export to Excel button Start Excel and display the results data in a new Excel spreadsheet.

Choose Units Select option to display the results in Imperial, Metric or selected units.

Pipes tab Display the information about the pipes in the system.

Fittings tab Display the information about the valves and fittings in the system.

Pumps tab Display the information about the pumps in the system.

Nodes tab Display the information about the nodes in the system.

Fluids tab Display the information about the fluids in the system.

Pipe Materials tab Display the information about the pipe materials in the system.

Energy tab Display the information about the energy usage in the system.

All Results tab Display the information about the elements in the system.


Viewing Individual Results Items are highlighted by a left clicking with the mouse while hovering over an item on the drawing pane. Data for the highlighted item is displayed in the Hint pane.

In Results mode, when an item is selected the Hint pane is used to display information about the item, which can include flow rates, velocities, pressure drops, pressures at join points, HGLs (hydraulic grade line), elevations of tanks and nodes, and fluid heads at specific points within the system.

Also in Results mode, when the cursor is moved over an item on the drawing a pop-up panel appears that displays information about the item. When the cursor is moved away from the item the popup panel automatically disappears. This allows a user to inspect a large number of results for different parts of the system without having to click the mouse.

The Results Popup Panel displays a variety of important results data, including:

• Volumetric Flow Rate • Mass Flow Rate • Velocity • Pressure Loss • Friction Loss • Fitting Loss

Figure 32 View Individual Results

The Results drawing can be configured to display the pipes in various colors based on the value of a chosen category such as Flow Rate, Velocity, Friction Loss, Internal Diameter etc. The color gradient start and end point values may be adjusted to narrow the band over which the colors are displayed.


File and Design Operations

Pipe Flow Expert works with a number of different file types, for example, pump files, component files, and the main system design file (a .pfe file). Once a system has been created it can then be saved to a system design file which stores all of the information about the system, including the node and pipe data, the fittings and valve information, the components information, and the pump data. Individual items in the system such as components and pumps can also be saved to their own file, so that they can be re-used and re-loaded as required (perhaps for use in future systems or to duplicate and copy these items within an existing system). The pump file extension is .pfpm and the component file extension is .pfco. Images of the drawing screen can be saved and/or attached to an email as a convenient way of sharing a quick snapshot of a system or set of results.

Tabbed Design Sheets Tabbed Design Sheets let you work on multiple systems simultaneously. Up to 4 different systems may be worked on concurrently using the ‘Tabbed’ system feature.

• Tabbed Sheets work just like Tabs in an Internet Browser.

• Tabbed Sheets work in both Design View and Results Mode.

• Switch between different system models with a single click.

• Easy to design, view, and compare results across multiple models.

• Easy to copy sections of drawings between different system models.

• Easy to demonstrate and review results for altered designs

Creating a New Pipe System To create a new pipe system:

1. Define whether imperial or metric units are used throughout the pipe system.

2. To define the imperial or metric setting, select the Imperial or Metric option on the toolbar or

the Units tab in the Configuration Options dialog, or you can select the Imperial or Metric menu items from the Units menu.

3. You can customize the units and default values used for the individual items in the system at any time by using the Configuration Options dialog.

4. Click the New Grid button or select File | New to create a new drawing grid.


5. Pipe Flow Expert asks the user if the grid should be shown for isometric drawing. Click ‘yes’

to display the isometric grid or click ‘no’ to display the standard drawing grid.

After creating a pipe system you should set the preferences of your choice. In Pipe Flow Expert you can configure whether imperial, metric or specifically chosen units are used throughout the system. The labelling used on the pipe system drawing can be altered such that specific items can be selected to be shown or excluded as required. The configuration settings for a pipe system can be amended at any time, while you are working in a pipe system, however defining your choices in advance will make it easier when you come to start the drawing process. All configuration options are saved with the system and will be set to their saved values when a system is loaded.

Isometric System Options When the isometric drawing mode has been selected Pipe Flow Expert will show fittings, valves, components, control valves and pumps in the isometric plane which follows the associated pipe direction Tanks and end-pressure nodes will also be displayed in the isometric plane. The drawing menu provides options to display an ‘Isometric tank view from the left’ or to display an ‘Isometric tank view from the right’. Selecting either of these options will change the display of all tanks and end pressure on the isometric view.

Designing a Pipe System To design a pipe system:

1. Define the pipe system’s fluid and the fluid’s properties. For more information about selecting

a fluid, see: Defining the System Fluid

2. Add the applicable tanks to the system. For more information about adding tanks, see: Adding a Tank

3. Add the applicable join points to the system. For more information about adding join points, see: Adding a Node (Join Point)

4. Add the applicable pipes to the system. For more information about adding pipes, see: Adding a Pipe

5. Add the applicable pumps to the system. For more information about adding pumps, see: Adding a Pump

6. Add the applicable fittings to the system. For more information about adding fittings, see: Adding Fittings and Valves

7. Add the applicable component pressure losses to the system. For more information about adding component pressure losses, see: Adding a Component

8. Add the applicable control valves to the system. Flow Control Valves, Pressure Reducing Valves or Back Pressure Valves can be used in the system. For more information about adding control valves, see: Adding a Control Valve


9. Add the applicable demand flows to the system. For more information about adding demand flows, see: Adding a Demand Flow

10. Add the applicable demand pressures to the system. For more information about adding demand pressures, see: Adding a Demand Pressure

11. Calculate and solve the pipe system’s flow and pressure. For more information about calculating and solving, see: Calculating and Solving the System

Saving a System When you save a pipe system in Pipe Flow Expert, a .pfe file is generated that is used exclusively with Pipe Flow Expert. All the system’s data is stored within the file. If you need to modify the system, or want to reuse the system for a future system, you can simply open the file in Pipe Flow Expert, make the necessary changes, and resave the file.

To save a pipe system:

1. Click the Save File button, , on the toolbar or select File | Save to open the Save As dialog.

Figure 33 Save As dialog

2. Type a name for the file in the File Name field.

3. Click Save to save the pipe system.

Once a pipe system has been saved to a .pfe file, you can simply click the Save button, , on the toolbar or select File | Save to save changes to the system.


Change the System View - Isometric Mode Toggle A Pipe Flow Expert system can be displayed in Isometric mode or Standard mode. The system information such as pipe sizes, pipe lengths, node elevations etc. do not change when the view of the system is changed. When an Isometric view is transposed (flattened) to a standard view, any vertical lines from the isometric view will be drawn at 45 degrees. This happens because Pipe Flow Expert does not allow a drawing to contain nodes which sit over other nodes, or nodes which sit over pipes. This restriction has been applied to avoid confusion. With the ‘Isometric to Standard’ type of transposition the result can be visualized as an offset view from a high overhead position, where the vertical lines can still be seen, i.e. the result looks similar to a plan view but it is not an exact plan view (where some of the lines which were vertical in the isometric view would not be seen in an exact plan view). When a Standard view is transposed to an Isometric view the result will be a flat view of the current drawing in the isometric plane. The user may then adjust/move node positions as required to make the drawing appear 3D on the isometric grid.

To change the system view:

1. Click the ISO Mode On / Off Toggle button, , on the toolbar.

2. A new view of the system will be displayed.

3. Select the ‘Drag and Move’ mode and adjust the node positions as required.

4. Use the drawing menu to select ‘Isometric tank View from Right’ or ’Isometric Tank View from Left’.

Sending a System via E-mail You can share pipe systems with others via e-mail from within Pipe Flow Expert.

To Email a pipe system:

1. Click the Email System Information button, , on the toolbar to open a new mail message in your default e-mail application with the system’s .pfe file attached to the e-mail.

2. Compose and send the email.

Printing a System When you print a pipe system in Pipe Flow Expert, only the visible part of image, what is currently displayed in the Drawing pane, is printed.

If you wish to print the entire pipe system, click the Zoom Out button, , on the toolbar to zoom out until the area you wish to print is visible in the Drawing pane. The printed image will be scaled to fit on one page by default, but you can customize the scaling using the Scale to fit fields. If you want to change the paper’s orientation to landscape or print to a printer other than your computer’s default printer, open the Page Setup dialog and make your


selections before printing the pipe system. To access the Page Setup dialog, select Print Setup from the File menu. As an alternative for larger higher quality prints of your complete system you can create a PDF image of your system drawing by using the option provided on the file menu. The PDF drawing can then be printed at a size to suit your requirements.

To print a pipe system:

1. Click the Print button, , on the toolbar or select File | Print to open the Printing Information dialog.

Figure 34 Printing Information dialog

2. If you want to change the printing scale, type the number of pages wide by the number of pages high in the Scale to fit fields. Note: Printing over multiple pages requires use of additional memory and problems may arise if your system (and printer) do not have enough memory available. The amount of memory required varies considerably depending on the size and number of items on the drawing that is to printed.

3. Type the title you want displayed at the top of the page.

4. Click the Print button to print the pipe system.


Saving a Screen Image

To save the current image displayed in the drawing pane:

1. Click on the File Menu and select, , Save Screen Image..

2. A save file dialog window is opened.

3. Navigate the folder hierarchy as required

4. Enter the filename that the image should be saved as.

5. Click on Save to store a jpeg image of the drawing.

Saving a Drawing to an EMF Image

To save the current drawing as an Enhanced Metafile Image:

1. Click on the File Menu and select, , Save Screen as EMF Metafile…

2. A save file dialog window is opened.

3. Navigate the folder hierarchy as required.

4. Enter the filename that the image should be saved as.

5. Click on Save to store a enhanced metafile image of the drawing.

Emailing a Screen Image To email the current image displayed in the drawing pane:

1. Click on the File Menu and select, , Email Screen Image…

2. Your default email client will be opened with an attached jpeg image named PFEImg.jpg

3. Fill in the normal email details (i.e. the to address, etc).

4. Click to send your email as normal.


System Options

Pipe Flow Expert can be configured and set-up to suit the users working preferences. The labelling on the drawing can be configured so that specific items can be included or excluded as required. The units in which to display lengths, diameters, head loss, velocity etc. can be chosen. The details of a default pipe can be chosen and these details will be used to draw any new pipes. The calculation tolerances can be changed if necessary (however in most cases these values should be left unchanged). Most configuration settings are defined in the Configuration Options dialog which is made up of a series of tabs, one for each page of configuration options.

You can access the Configuration Options dialog by selecting the Specify Units menu selection from the Units menu, or clicking the Labelling or Units button on the tool bar.

To select a Default Pipe size for drawing click the Pipe button on the tool bar to choose the pipe material, the pipe diameter and pipe length etc.

To set the Default Pipe attributes to match the currently selected pipe, right click to display the pipe pop-up menu and choose the ‘Set as Default Pipe for Drawing’ option.

Choosing Units (imperial/metric) Pipe Flow Expert provides the flexibility to enter the units for the components of a pipe system in imperial (inches, feet, gallons), metric (millimeters, centimeters, liters) or a combination of the two units of measure. It is best practice to configure the system’s universal imperial or metric unit setting before configuring individual units and default values. The universal unit setting converts all values to imperial or metric units in a pipe system. If you will be using a combination of imperial and metric units you can change the type of units used for individual components on the Units tab of the Configuration Options dialog once you’ve defined the universal setting. NOTE: When you change the universal unit setting, it converts all unit values to the unit type selected, and all values on the Units tab of the Configuration Options dialog are converted to the fields’ default values. For example, if you are changing the universal setting from imperial to metric, all values, including any imperial units selected on the Units tab of the Configuration Options dialog, are converted to metric. All field values on the Units tab are also reset to their default metric value.

There are three places in Pipe Flow Expert that you can define the universal unit setting.

To define the universal unit setting:

1. To change the units from the toolbar, click the Imperial or Metric option on the tool bar.

2. To change the units from the Units tab, click the Units, , button on the tool bar or select Specify Units from the Units menu to open the Units tab of the Configuration Options screen. Click the Imperial or Metric option.

3. To change the units from the Units menu, select the Imperial Units or Metric Units from the Configuration Options Units Tab screen.

Click Yes when asked, Do you wish to proceed?


Choosing Item Labelling In Pipe Flow Expert, you can configure the labelling of a pipe system displayed in the Drawing pane. The labelling for the pipe system is configured on the Labelling tab of the Configuration Options dialog. The tab is organized by the system components. A series of check boxes are used to configure labelling in drawing/design mode and a series of radio buttons are used to select labelling options when in results mode. The result options determine which calculated results are displayed for a solved pipe system in the Drawing pane. Results are displayed for a calculated solved pipe system after clicking the Calculate button on the toolbar.

For more information about pipe system results, see: Calculating the System Flow and Pressure

To configure the pipe system labelling:

Click the Labelling button, , on the tool bar to open the Labelling tab of the Configuration Options screen.

Figure 35 Configuration Options – Labelling tab

1. Select the check boxes next to the labelling options you want to apply to the pipe system in the Pipes, Fittings, Pumps, and Nodes sections.

2. Click one of the labelling options in the Pipe Results, Fitting Results, Pump Results and Node Results sections to determine which of the pipe system’s calculation results are displayed in the Drawing pane.

3. Click OK to save the labelling configurations and close the Configuration Options dialog, or click another tab in the dialog to continue configuring Pipe Flow Expert and the pipe system.

4. To remove a labelling option, clear the check box next to the applicable label in the Pipes, Fittings, Pumps, or Nodes section of the Labelling tab.


Choosing the System Units The universal unit setting for imperial or metric units determines which type of unit is used by default throughout Pipe Flow Expert for a specific item. You can also change the types of units used for individual components in the pipe system on the Units tab of the Configuration Options dialog once you’ve defined the universal unit setting. The units selected on the Units tab determine which units are displayed for the corresponding fields in the Pipe Flow Expert Node and Pipe panes, the various dialogs and the units displayed in the Drawing pane. For example, if you select feet from the Length list in the Pipes section on the Units tab, feet will be displayed next to the Length field in the Pipe pane, and if the Show Length check box is selected in the Pipes section of the Labelling tab, each pipe’s length in the pipe system is displayed in feet in the Drawing pane.

To define the units used in Pipe Flow Expert and the pipe system:

1. Click the Choose Units button, , on the tool bar, or select Specify Units from the Units menu to open the Units tab of the Configuration Options screen.

Figure 36 Configuration Options – Units tab

2. Select or enter the units for each component on the tab.

3. Do not click the Imperial or Metric option in the Change All Units section of the Units tab, unless you want to change the universal unit setting and reset all the values currently defined on the Units tab.

NOTE: When you change the universal unit setting, it converts all unit values to the unit type selected, and all values on the Units tab of the Configuration Options dialog are converted to the fields’ default values. For example, if you are changing the universal setting from imperial to metric, all values, including any imperial units selected on the Units tab of the Configuration Options dialog, are converted to metric. All field values on the Units tab are also reset to their default metric value.


Click OK to save the unit configurations and close the Configuration Options dialog, or click another tab in the dialog to continue configuring Pipe Flow Expert and the pipe system.

Choosing Pipe Drawing Defaults If you will be using the same type of pipe throughout a pipe system, you can set up default pipe values. When the pipe default values are defined, the values are automatically populated each time you add a section of pipe to a pipe system. You can set up default pipe values for pipe length, internal diameter and roughness, as well as fittings and the pipe’s material and size. Pipe default values are set up on the Default Values tab of the Configuration Options dialog. The default pipe values are used when adding pipes however you can customize the values for an individual pipe in the system at any time, by editing its values in the Pipe pane or in the Pipe diameter data dialog. NOTE: Be sure to enter the value for the pipe’s properties in the units displayed next to the field. For example, if you are using metric units, and m for meter is displayed next to the Length field, enter the pipe length value in meters.

To set up pipe default values for a pipe system:

1. Click the Set Default Pipe for drawing button, , on the tool bar to open the Default Values tab of the Configuration Options dialog.

Figure 37 Configuration Options – Pipe Settings tab

To change the pipe material:

1. Click the Material button. This opens the Pipe diameter data screen A list of all the pipe

materials available in the pipe database are displayed in the Choose new pipe material list.


Figure 38 Pipe diameter data - materials list

2. Select the pipe’s material from the Choose new pipe material list.

3. If the pipe material is not in the Choose new pipe material list, click the Add new material

button to add the new material to the list. For more information about adding a pipe material, see: Adding a Pipe Material to the Database section in Section: Creating a Pipe System.

4. Click the Select button or double-click the row containing the material.

To change the pipe size: 1. The selected material is displayed in the Pipe data section of the Pipe diameter data

dialog, and a list of all the different pipe sizes available for the selected pipe material is displayed in the Pipe diameter database.


Figure 39 Pipe Diameter Data - Pipe Sizes

2. Select the applicable pipe size from the list.

3. If the pipe size is not in the list, click the Add new size button to add the new size to the list. For more information about adding a pipe size, see: Adding Pipe Size Data to the Database Section: Creating a Pipe System.

4. Click the Transfer Selected Size button or double-click the row containing the size. The selected size is displayed below the pipe material in the Pipe data section of the Pipe diameter data screen.

5. Edit the applicable pipe properties in the Pipe data section. The edits you make only affects the pipe’s properties for the system; they do not affect the database data.

6. Click Save Pipe to add the pipe’s material and size, and to close the Pipe diameter database.

The Pipe Default Tab is now populated with the choices that have been made. The pipe’s material is displayed under the Roughness field, the nominal size is displayed under the Diam button and the pipe’s internal diameter and roughness are displayed in the Internal Diameter and Roughness fields on the Default Values tab.


To change the pipe length:

1. Type the default pipe length into the Length field on the pipe pane.

To change the fittings on the pipe:

1. The default number of fittings currently on the selected pipe is displayed on the Add/Change

Fittings button.

2. Click the Add/Change Fittings button, .

3. Clicking the Add/Change Fittings button opens the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog. A list of all the fittings available in the fitting database is displayed in the Fitting Database list.

Figure 40 Pipe fitting friction coefficients

4. Select the fitting you want to add to the pipe from the Fitting Database list.

5. Use the Move to fitting size fields to locate a specific metric or imperial fitting size in the

Fitting Database list.

6. If the fitting is not in the Fitting Database list, click the Create new fitting button to add the new fitting to the list. For more information about adding a fitting to the database, see: Adding a Fitting to the Database section in Section: Creating a Pipe System.

7. Click the Add selection to pipe button or double-click the row containing the fitting.

8. The selected fitting is displayed in the Fittings on section of the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog.

9. Select the quantity of the fitting you are adding to the pipe from the fitting’s Qty list in the Fittings on section.


10. To add additional fittings to the pipe, repeat Steps 4 – 9.

11. Click Save to add the fitting to the pipe, and to close the Pipe fitting friction coefficients

screen.

12. Confirm the changes to the default pipe settings:

13. Click OK to save the default pipe values and close the Configuration Options dialog, or click another tab in the dialog to continue configuring Pipe Flow Expert and the pipe system.

Change attributes of more than one pipe Some or all of the Default pipe values may be copied to other pipes in the system. The Selection Tool or the Individual Item Selection Option may be used to select a range of pipes on the drawing prior to opening the Pipe Settings tab.

Figure 41 Configuration Options – Pipe Settings Tab

1. Optional: First select a group of pipes to update using the Selection Tool, , or the

Individual Item Selection Option, ,

2. Click the Adjust Attributes of Selected Pipes button, , on the tool bar, to open the Pipe Settings tab of the Configuration Options dialog.

3. Individual pipes can be added or removed from the selected list by checking or un-checking the box adjacent to the pipe description.

4. Click Copy All Pipe Data to copy all of the pipe attributes, including valves and fittings and the fluid zone to the selected pipes.


5. Click Copy All Diameter Data to copy the default internal and external pipe diameter to the

selected pipes.

6. Click Copy Internal Diameter Only to copy the default internal diameter to the selected pipes.

7. Click Copy All Material Data to copy the default material, schedule/class and internal roughness to the selected pipes.

8. Click Copy Internal Diameter Only to copy the default internal diameter to the selected pipes.

9. Click Copy Roughness Only to copy the default internal roughness to the selected pipes.

10. Click Copy Length Only to copy the default pipe length to the selected pipes.

11. Click Copy Fittings Only to copy the default pipe fittings to the selected pipes.

12. Click Copy Components Only to copy the default pipe component to the selected pipes.

13. Click Copy Color and Style to copy the default pipe color and line width to the selected pipes.


Node Updates The node elevation and the node image on the Node Updates Tab may be copied to other nodes in the system. The Selection Tool or the Individual Item Selection Option may be used to select a range of nodes on the drawing prior to opening the Node Updates tab.

Figure 42 Configuration Options – Node Updates Tab

1. Optional: First select a group of nodes to update using the Selection Tool, , or the

Individual Item Selection Option, ,

2. Click the Adjust Attributes of Selected Nodes button, , on the tool bar, to open the Node Updates tab of the Configuration Options screen.

3. Individual nodes can be added or removed from the selected list by checking or un-checking the box adjacent to the node description.

4. Click Copy Node Elevation to copy the node elevation to the selected nodes.

5. Click Copy Node Image to copy the node image to the selected nodes.

6. Click Copy Image and Elevation to copy the node image and the node elevation to the selected nodes.

7. Click Copy Demand – Flow In to copy the flow in values to the selected nodes.

8. Click Copy Demand – Flow Out to copy the flow out values to the selected nodes.


Results Colors The results screen can display pipes and nodes from the solved network using a color gradient to highlight the pipes or nodes based on the result value for a chosen calculation category.

Figure 43 Configuration Options – Results Colors Tab

1. Click the Color button, , on Results Screen Color Key, to open the Results Colors tab of the Configuration Options screen.

2. Select a calculation category to be display in color on the Results screen.

3. Choose a color gradient from the drop down of sample gradients, or use the Low, Middle and High color buttons to create your own color gradient.

4. Click OK to update the drawing pane.


Configuring the Calculation Parameters The accuracy to which a pipeline system is balanced can be changed. The balance options for a pipe system are configured on the Calculations tab of the Configuration Options dialog. Most systems can be solved without any changes to the Calculation options, however these options are included for experimental use when a balanced solution cannot be found. Widening of these parameters may give results where the flow into the system and out of the system do not balance and/or the pressure results throughout the system will not agree with the sum of the pressure drops through the individual pipes. A balanced solution may not always be found if the system contains components which ‘fight’ each other. If a pump is placed in a pipeline, the resultant effect of a change in flow rate will be the sum of the pipeline friction and the head added by the pump. In some circumstances where a system includes a number of pumps, the adjustment of the flow rate in one pipe/pump combination will allow a disproportionate change in the flow rate in another pipe/pump combination, which might have a counter acting effect to the previous flow rate adjustment. Thus the program would oscillate between two possible solutions, neither of which will give a normally expected degree of accuracy. It would normally be better to change the system design to overcome these sorts of problem rather than proceed with a design where it is difficult to predict an accurate result. Note: We recommend that you do not change these values, unless it becomes necessary to solve a finally balanced system.

Figure 44 Calculation settings

The following adjustments can be made (but the user is advised to leave these values unchanged):


Feature Description

Loop Balance Final Pressure Tolerance

Pressure balance tolerance allowed around a loop, for final solution.

Loop Balance Initial Pressure Tolerance

Pressure balance tolerance allowed around a loop, for initial solution.

Flow Balancing Tolerance Flow in and flow out difference allowed at join points.

Final Solution Verification Pressure balance accuracy tolerance allowed between adjoining nodes.

Max Iterations for Approximate Solution

Maximum calculation iterations allowed to find initial approximate solution.

Max Iterations for Final Solution

Maximum calculation iterations allowed to find final solution.

Final Iterations Delta Reduction Factor

Rate of delta reduction adjustments to find final solution.

Min Velocity for Discharge Estimates

Starting velocity estimate for unknown discharge estimation.

Max Velocity for Discharge Estimates

Maximum velocity estimate allowed for unknown discharge estimation.

Calculation Warning Parameters

NPSHa < NPSHr plus percentage allowance. If NPSHa is less than NPSHr plus a percentage allowance a warning is issued in the results log.

Liquid Velocity > If the liquid velocity in a pipe exceeds the set value a warning is issued in the results log.

Gas Velocity > If the gas velocity in a pipe exceeds the set value a warning is issued in the results log.

Gas Fluid Density within Zones Avg Gas Density

If the gas fluid density within an individual fluid zone differs from the average gas density by more than the percentage allowance a warning is issued in the results log.

Reset All entries to the Default Values

Restore the standard settings for the calculation parameters.

OK Confirm changes to system calculation options.

Cancel Close the Calculations Tab without making any changes.


Fluid Zones

Pipe Flow Expert will allow the user to design pipeline systems with up to 20 different fluid zones. The density and viscosity of each fluid zone must be set by the user. Pipe Flow Expert does not calculate the resultant density or viscosity of any 'mixed' fluids. Each pipe in a system can be associated with an available fluid zone. The density and viscosity of the associated fluid zone will be used in calculating the flow rate and pressure loss in each pipe. Most systems may only have one Fluid Zone, therefore when a new system is being drawn each new pipe will be associated with the fluid zone associated with the default pipe data. Fluid Zone 1 is the Default Fluid Zone. The color of Fluid Zone 1 cannot be changed. Pipes in the default fluid zone are not background highlighted. Pipes associated with Fluid Zone 2 to Fluid Zone 20 are background highlighted to assist with identification of the different fluid zones. The background highlight color for these fluid zones can be amended by the user. This background highlighting may be toggled on/off from a fluid menu option. Changing the fluid data of a fluid zone will affect the calculation of flow and pressure loss for all pipes associated with the fluid zone.

Defining Fluid Zones

The Fluid button, , on the tool bar opens the fluid zone menu.

Figure 45 Fluid Zone Menu

Feature Description

Change Fluid Change the fluid name, density and viscosity for the currently selected fluid zone.

Create New Fluid Zone Create a new fluid zone. The fluid database screen will be displayed so that new fluid data can be selected. When the fluid data has been chosen / amended click save to confirm the data for the new fluid zone.

Delete Current Fluid Zone Delete the currently selected fluid zone.

Change Color for this fluid zone

Change the background highlight color for the currently selected fluid zone


Select / Add pipes to this fluid zone

Select pipes to be associated with the currently selected fluid zone. The drawing cursor will change to a Fluid Zone selection rectangle. Move the drawing cursor to an appropriate position on the system drawing. Click on the drawing pane and hold the mouse button down while dragging the Fluid Zone selection rectangle to enclose the pipes to be associated with current fluid zone. When the mouse button is released the enclosed pipes will be associated with the current fluid zone.

On / Off Show Colors for Fluid Zones

Toggle the fluid zone background highlight colors display on / off.

Reset Fluid Zone to Default Colors

Reset all fluid zone colors to the default color for each fluid zone.

Close Close the fluid menu.

Properties of Mixed Fluids Pipe Flow Expert does not calculate the resultant density or viscosity of any 'mixed' fluids. The characteristics of each fluid zone must be set by the user. Establishing the density and viscosity of fluid mixtures can be a complicated and a reliable independent method should be used to calculate the mixed fluid properties.

Two Phase Flow – Additional Pressure Drop Pipe Flow Expert does not calculate the pressure drop for two-phase flow. When two different fluids are mixed together it is possible that two-phase flow may occur at some point in a system. Two-phase flow can produce an extremely high pressure drop many times greater than the pressure drop of either individual fluid. The user should make due allowance for any two-phase flow pressure drop, possibly by using a component to add an appropriate additional pressure loss.


Fluids Database

Pipe Flow Expert includes a fluid database. The Fluid Properties Database list on the Fluid data screen displays all fluids available in the fluid database. When you are selecting a fluid to be used in the currently selected fluid zone you can select an existing fluid, or add a new fluid by adding the fluid to the fluid database. The Fluid Data can be defined and overwritten in the fluid properties section of the Fluid data screen. New fluid data can be added to the existing database entries by using the Add New Fluid button.

Figure 46 Fluid Database

To define the fluid and fluid properties for the currently selected fluid zone:

1. Click the Fluid button, , on the tool bar and select ‘Change Fluid’ from the pop-up menu to open the Fluid data dialog.

2. Select the fluid contained in the pipe system from the Fluid Properties Database list.

3. If the fluid is not in the Fluid Properties Database list, click the Add new fluid data button to add the new fluid data to the list. For more information about adding fluid data, see: Adding Fluids to the Fluid Database

4. Click the Use selected fluid button or double-click the row containing the fluid.

5. The selected fluid is displayed in the Fluid properties section of the Fluid data dialog.

6. Edit the applicable fluid properties in the Fluid properties section.


7. The edits you make only affect the fluid properties for the system; they do not affect the database data.

8. Click Save to save the fluid data to be used with the currently selected fluid zone.

The name of the fluid for the currently selected fluid zone is displayed next to the Fluid button on the tool bar.

Adding Fluids to the Fluid Database If the fluid you are using in the pipe system does not exist in the Pipe Flow Expert fluid database, you can quickly add the fluid to the database by clicking the Add new fluid data button on the Fluid data screen. NOTE: Be sure to enter the value for the fluid’s properties in the units displayed on the column header. For example, if you are using imperial units, ºF for Fahrenheit is displayed under Temperature in the Temperature column. The temperature value should be entered in degrees Fahrenheit.

To add new fluid data to the fluid database:

1. Click the Fluid button, , on the tool bar and select ‘Change Fluid’ from the pop-up menu to open the Fluid database.

2. Click the Add new fluid data button.

3. Clicking the Add new fluid data button opens the Add fluid data section in the Fluid data screen.

4. Type the fluid’s name in the Name field.

5. Type the fluid’s formula in the Formula field.

6. Type the fluid’s temperature in the Temperature field.

7. Type the fluid’s density in the Density field.

8. Type the fluid’s viscosity centipoise in the Viscosity Centipoise field.

9. Type the fluid’s vapor pressure in the Vapour Press field.

10. If the fluid’s state is gas, select the Gas check box in the State field.

11. Leave the Gas check box blank if the fluid’s state is liquid. 12. Click Save to save the new fluid data to the database and the Fluid Properties Database

list.


Adding Gas Data to the Fluid Database If the fluid you are using in the pipe system is one of the most common gases, the viscosity and density of the gas at various temperatures and pressures can be calculated.

To add new gas data to the fluid database:

1. Click the Fluid data button, , on the tool bar and select ‘Change Fluid’ from the pop-up menu to open the Fluid Data dialog.

2. Choose the All Fluids or Gases option to display the Calculate Gas Data button.

3. Click the Calculate Gas Data button to display the Properties of Gases calculator.

Figure 47 Properties of Gases

4. Choose a Gas from the drop down listing.

5. Enter the temperature of the gas.

6. Enter the pressure of the gas.

7. The viscosity and density data for the gas are displayed.

8. Click Add new entry to add the data to the fluid data list.


Tanks

In Pipe Flow Expert, a tank can represent a reservoir or any type of fluid supply. It can also model a discharge or the point where a fluid exits a pipe system. A tank is a type of node in Pipe Flow Expert. There are three types of nodes used in a pipe system: tanks, demand pressures, and join points. Nodes are located at the beginning and end of a pipe. NOTE: Be sure to enter the values for the tank’s properties in the units displayed next to the field. For example, if you are using imperial units, and ft for feet is displayed next to the Liquid Level field, enter the liquid level value in feet.

Add a Tank To add a tank to the pipe system:

1. Click the Add Tank button, , on the tool bar.

2. When you click the Add Tank button, the tank symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

3. Click on the place on the Drawing pane where you want to add a tank.

4. The tank is added to the system, and is selected on the Drawing pane. Define the tank’s properties in the Node pane.

Figure 48 Node Pane for Tanks

5. Type the tank’s name in the Node field.

6. Tank is automatically selected in the Type list.


7. Click the Tank Icon button to select the tank image you want displayed on the pipe system drawing. The icon size can be selected from a range of scales. The image you select does not affect any of the tank’s properties or values.

8. Type the surface pressure of the fluid in the tank in the Surface Pressure field.

9. Type the amount of fluid above the tank exit point in the Liquid Level field.

10. Type the exit elevation from the tank in the Elevation (Exit) field.

11. Type any applicable notes regarding the tank in the Notes field.

12. To add additional tanks to the system, repeat Steps 3 – 12.


Nodes (Join Points) A join point is the place where two or more pipes meet in a pipe system. A green dot represents each join point in the Drawing pane. In Pipe Flow Expert, you can add join points as you add pipe, or you can add join points first and then connect the join points with pipe. If you add a join point to a pipe, and the location of the join point causes the pipe to be split, you will have to manually reset the pipe details for each section of pipe. Once join points are added, you can define the fitting(s) used at each join point and the other fittings along the pipes in the pipe system. NOTE: Be sure to enter the values for the join point’s properties in the units displayed next to the field. For example, if you are using imperial units, and ft for feet is displayed next to the Elevation of Join field, enter the elevation in feet.

Adding a Node To add a join point node to the pipe system:

1. Click the Add Join Point button, , on the tool bar.

2. When you click the Add Join Point button, the join point symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

3. Click on the place on the Drawing pane where you want to add a join point.

4. The join point is added to the system, and is selected on the Drawing pane. Define the join point’s name, elevation, and volume demand in and/or demand out in the Node pane.

Figure 49 Node Pane for Join Points

5. Type the join point’s name in the Node field.

6. Join Point is automatically selected in the Type list.


7. Type the elevation of the join point in the Elevation of Join field

8. If the system has a required demand flow at the join point, click the Edit button to open the Set Flow Demands screen.

9. You can enter either an In-Flow or an Out-Flow demand at the join point on the Set Flow Demands screen. Both Edit buttons in the Node pane open the Set Flow Demands screen.

Figure 50 Set Flow Demands

10. Type the required flow rate for the fluid entering the system at the join point in the In Flow field. (Usually the out flow field should be set at zero).

11. Type the required flow rate for the fluid leaving the system at the join point in the Out Flow field. (Usually the in flow field should be set at zero).

12. Click OK to add the join point’s demand flow.

13. Type any applicable notes regarding the join point in the Notes field.

14. To add additional join points to the system, repeat Steps 3 – 12.


Pipes

If you will be using the same type of pipe throughout the pipe system, you can define the default pipe type and values for the system using the Default Values tab in the Configuration Options dialog. When the default pipe values are set, each time you add a pipe to the system, the pipe type and values are automatically defined for the pipe. You can customize the values for an individual pipe in the system, by editing its values in the Pipe pane or in the Pipe diameter data dialog. The Pipe diameter data dialog contains a list of the pipe materials and sizes available in the pipe database and additional properties specific to a pipe in the system. For more information about using default pipe values, see: Setting Up the System Options NOTE: Be sure to enter the values for the pipe’s properties in the units displayed next to the field. For example, if you are using metric units, and m for meter is displayed next to the Length field, enter the pipe length value in meters.

Adding a Pipe To add a pipe to the pipe system:

1. Click the Add Pipes button, , on the tool bar.

2. When you click the Add Pipes button, the pipe symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

3. Click on the place on the Drawing pane where you want the pipe to start.

4. Click on the place where you want the pipe to end.

5. The pipe is added to the system, and is selected in the Drawing pane. Define the pipe’s properties in the Pipe Pane.

6. The rubber-banding functionality of the Add Pipes feature provides the ability to continue drawing additional connected sections of pipe after adding a section of pipe.

7. If you want to continue adding connected lengths of pipe to the system, move the mouse pointer to draw the pipe, and click where you want the pipes to end. To turn off the rubber-banding, press the right mouse button (right-click).

8. Type the pipe’s name in the Name field.

9. If the default pipe type and values for the system are defined on the Default Values tab in the Configuration Options dialog, you are done adding the pipe.

10. The pipe type, default length, internal diameter and roughness values are displayed in the Pipe pane.

11. If the default pipe values are not being used for the pipe, continue with Steps 12 to 25.

12. Type the length of the pipe into the Length field.

13. Click the Material button.


14. Clicking the Material button opens the Pipe diameter database. A list of all the pipe materials available in the pipe database are displayed in the Choose new pipe material list.

Figure 51 Pipe diameter data - materials list

15. Select the pipe’s material from the Choose new pipe material list.

16. If the pipe material is not in the Choose new pipe material list, click the Add new material button to add the new material to the list. For more information about adding a pipe material, see: Adding a Pipe Material to the Database

17. Click the Select button or double-click the row containing the material.

18. The selected material is displayed in the Pipe data section of the Pipe diameter data dialog, and a list of all the different pipe sizes available for the selected pipe material is displayed in the Pipe diameter data dialog.


Figure 52 Pipe diameter data - pipe sizes

19. Select the applicable pipe size from the list.

20. If the pipe size is not in the list, click the Add new size button to add the new size to the list. For more information about adding a pipe size, see: Adding Pipe Size Data to the Database

21. Click the Transfer Selected Size button or double-click the row containing the size.

22. The selected size is displayed below the pipe material in the Pipe data section of the Pipe diameter data screen.

23. Edit the applicable pipe properties in the Pipe data section.

24. The edits made only affect the current pipe’s properties; they do not affect the database data.

25. Click Save Pipe to add the pipe’s material and size, and to close the Pipe diameter data screen.

The pipe’s material is displayed under the Roughness field, the nominal size is displayed under the Diam button, and the pipe’s length, internal diameter, and roughness are displayed in the Length, Internal Diameter, and Roughness fields in the Pipe pane.


Adding a Pipe Material to the Database If the pipe material you are using in the pipe system does not exist in the Pipe Flow Expert pipe database, you can quickly add the material to the database by clicking the Add new material button on the Pipe diameter data dialog. NOTE: Be sure to enter the values for the pipe material’s properties in the units displayed next to the field. For example, if you are using metric units, and mm for millimeter is displayed next to the Internal Roughness field, enter the internal surface roughness in millimeters.

To add new material to the pipe database:

1. Select a pipe in the pipe system and click the Material button in the Pipe pane, or click the

Material button on the Default Values tab in the Configuration Options screen to open the Pipe diameter database with the material list displayed.

2. Click the Add new material button.

3. Clicking the Add new material button opens the Add pipe material section in the Pipe diameter data screen.

4. Type the material name in the Name field.

5. Type the material’s schedule or class in the Schedule/Class field.

6. Type the material’s internal roughness, expressed in the units displayed in parenthesis, in the Internal Roughness field.

7. Click the Add new material entry button to save the new material data to the database and the materials list.

Adding Pipe Size Data to the Database If the pipe size data you are using in the pipe system does not exist in the Pipe Flow Expert pipe database, you can quickly add the size data to the database by clicking the Add new size button on the Pipe diameter data dialog. NOTE: Be sure to enter the value for the pipe’s size data in the units displayed on the column header. For example, if you are using imperial units, and lbs/ft for pounds per foot is displayed under Weight in the Weight column, the weight value should be entered in pounds per foot.

To add new size data to the pipe database:

1. Select a pipe in the pipe system and click the Diam? button in the Pipe pane, or click the

Diam? button on the Default Values tab in the Configuration Options dialog to open the Pipe diameter data dialog with the size list displayed.

2. Click the Add new size button.

3. Clicking the Add new size button opens the Add pipe data section in the Pipe diameter data dialog.

4. The pipe’s nominal size will be automatically calculated from the pipe outside diameter data and the type of material selected. If the user prefers the Nominal Size field can be selected from the drop down list of nominal pipe sizes.


5. Type pipe’s internal diameter in the Internal Diam. field.

6. Type the wall thickness of the pipe in the Wall Thick. field.

7. Type the outside diameter of the pipe in the Outside Diam. field.

8. Type the pipe weight in the Weight field.

9. The values in the Internal Vol. and Surface Area fields are automatically calculated.

10. Click the Add new entry button to save the new size data to the database size list.

Reversing the Pipe Flow When you add a pipe to a pipe system, the direction the fluid flows though the pipe always defaults to the direction in which the pipe is drawn. Each pipe in the Drawing pane shows an arrow to indicate the direction of fluid flow. If a pipe is inadvertently drawn in the wrong direction, you can reverse the direction of the pipe and fluid flow.

To reverse the fluid flow through a pipe:

1. Select and highlight a pipe by clicking on the drawing pane.

2. Right Click to display the Pipe Sub-menu options.

3. Select Reverse Pipe Direction.

The direction of a selected pipe can also be reversed by using the ‘More’ button on the pipe pane to

display the Pipe Sub-menu options.

Closing a Pipe in the System The Closed Pipe feature can be used to represent actual pipes in the system where the flow is shut off. In Pipe Flow Expert, you can stop the flow of fluid through any pipe in the system by selecting the Open/Close pipe mode and clicking on a pipe in the Drawing pane to close the pipe. With the Closed Pipe feature, you can evaluate different configuration scenarios within the system when calculating the results.

To close a pipe in the pipe system:

1. Click the Open/Close Pipe button, , on the tool bar to select open/close pipe mode.

2. Click any pipe in the Drawing pane which you want to close. The pipe will be closed.

3. To re-open a pipe, click a closed pipe with the Open/Close cursor. The pipe will be re-opened.

4. Click the Show Item Info button, , or right click to exit the Open/Close pipe direction mode.

A selected pipe can also be opened or closed by using the Pipe Sub-menu option. A Closed pipe will be displayed ‘grayed out’ and ‘dotted’ on the drawing to indicate that the pipe is no longer part on the functioning system. Note: care must be taken with this feature, as a non-functional system may result from this action and Pipe Flow Expert may not be able analyze the resulting network.


Using the Pipe Sub-menu while drawing In Pipe Flow Expert, you can change some of the features of the selected pipe by using the Pipe Sub-menu. Select a pipe and click the right mouse button to display the Pipe Sub-menu. Select the option that you required and click to perform the action.

Figure 53 Pipe Sub-Menu

Feature Description

Change Pipe Diameter Opens the pipe diameter data – pipe sizes (for current material).

Change Pipe Material Opens the pipe diameter data – materials list.

Add / Edit Fittings Opens the pipe fittings friction coefficients screen.

Add/ Edit Component Loss Opens the component pressure loss screen.

Add / Edit Control Valve Opens the control valve data screen.

Add / Edit Pump Opens the pump data screen.

Re-Open / Close Pipe Open a closed pipe / Close a pipe.

Reverse Pipe Direction Reverse the flow direction of a pipe.

Prevent Backflow – On / Off Tag a pipe to prevent backflow.

Move / Unlink end of pipe Unlink the end of the pipe and allow re-positioning

Use Pipe Valves for Drawing Use the selected pipe data as the default pipe for drawing new pipes.

Change Fluid Zone Change the fluid zone associated with the pipe.

Close Close the pipe sub-menu.


Preventing Backflow in a pipe A selected pipe can be tagged to prevent backflow when the system is solved. A pipe in which backflow is not permitted is identified with a double arrow marker, . When solving a system if backflow occurs in the pipe the flow rate will be set to zero. Use the pipe sub-menu option to toggle the status of pipes tagged with the prevent backflow symbol.

Using the Default Pipe feature while drawing In Pipe Flow Expert, you can set the default pipe options for the next pipe to be added to the system by copying the features of the currently selected pipe.

To set the default pipe options:

1. Select a pipe and click the right mouse button to display the Pipe Sub-menu. 2. Click the Use Pipe Values for Drawing option.

Draw the next pipe in the system. Change the pipe length if necessary. To draw a pipe with different attributes, select another pipe that has the attributes that you require and then set that pipe’s attributes as the default for pipe drawing.

Alternatively use the Set Default Pipe for drawing button on the tool bar to open the pipe default values on the Configuration Options – Pipe Settings Tab. Choose the pipe material, diameter and length to be used to draw default pipes.


Fittings and Valves

Fittings can be added at the ends of a pipe or anywhere along a pipe in the pipe system. After adding join points to the pipe system, you can define the specific fittings for the join points and pipes using the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog. The Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen contains a list of the fittings available in the fitting database and additional properties specific to a fitting in the system. If a fitting added to a pipe causes a specific pressure loss, you should choose to add the pressure loss by adding a Component to the pipe and then specifying the pressure loss on the Set Component Pressure Loss screen. If you are adding a fitting near a pump, be sure to consider the orientation of the fitting (whether the fitting is in front of or after the pump). The orientation of the fitting affects the NPSHa (Net Positive Suction Head available) value at the pump inlet. If the fitting is placed after the pump, the NPSHa value at the pump inlet will be higher. If you need to move a fitting, you can move the fitting in the Drawing pane by clicking the Drag and Move Items button on the tool bar and selecting and moving the fitting to a new location in the system. NOTE: Be sure to choose a fitting size that matches the size of the pipe or valve size that is equal or greater than the size of the pipe. For example, if you are using 4” nominal pipe size select either a 100 mm or a 4 inch fitting.

Adding a Fitting to a pipe To add fittings to a pipe:

1. You can add a fitting using the Add Fittings button on the tool bar or the Add/Change

Fittings button in the Pipe Pane.

2. To add a fitting using the Add Fittings tool bar button, click the Add Fittings button, .

3. When you click the Add Fittings button, the fittings symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane

4. Click on the pipe on the Drawing pane where you want to add a fitting.

5. Clicking on the pipe opens the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen with a list of all the fittings available in the fitting database displayed in the Fitting Database list.

6. To add a fitting using the Add/Change Fittings button in the Pipe pane, select the pipe to which you want to add a fitting in the Drawing pane.

7. The pipe’s information is displayed in the Pipe pane.

8. Click the Add/Change Fittings button, .

9. The number of fittings currently on the selected pipe is displayed on the Add/Change Fittings button. Clicking the Add/Change Fittings button opens the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog with a list of all the fittings available in the fitting database displayed in the Fitting Database list.


Figure 54 Pipe fitting friction coefficients database

10. Select the nominal metric or imperial pipe size from the drop down listings to move to the required fitting sizes in the Fitting Database list. Click on the Pipe Size link to show fitting which match the current pipe size.

11. If the fitting is not in the Fitting Database list, click the Create new fitting button to add the new fitting to the list. For more information about adding a fitting to the database, see: Adding a Fitting to the Database

12. Double click on a fitting item to add it to the pipe fittings.

13. The selected fitting is displayed in the Fittings on section of the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen.


15. To add additional fittings to the pipe, repeat Steps 12 – 14.

16. Click Save to add the fitting to the pipe, and to close the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen.

When one or more fittings are added to a pipe, the Include check box, , is displayed and selected next to the Add/Change Fittings button. When the Include check box is selected, Pipe Flow Expert includes the data from the fittings on the pipe in the calculations for solving the pipe system. To remove the fittings’ data from the calculations, clear the Include check box. Information about calculating and solving pipe systems is available in Section: Calculating the System Flow and Pressure.


Adding a Fitting to the Database If the fitting you are adding on a pipe does not exist in the fitting database, you can quickly add the fitting to the database and/or pipe by clicking the Create new fitting button or by clicking one of the Calculate K value buttons in the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog. Adding a fitting involves selecting a fitting from the fitting database or selecting one of the buttons that represent the fitting from the Calculated K value section, customizing the data to match the new fitting and calculating the fitting’s K value. A K value represents a local loss coefficient. This value is supplied by the fitting manufacturer. Most fittings have a fixed K value, but some fittings have a K value that needs to be calculated. The Calculated K value section in the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog is used to add fittings with a calculated K value to a pipe system and the fitting database. When you click a fitting button in the Calculated K value section, a dialog opens that contains fields for adding the fitting measurements required to calculate the fitting’s K value.

To add a fitting to the fitting database using the Create new fitting button:

1. Choose the Show Item Info button, , on the tool bar.

2. Click on a fitting symbol in the Drawing pane to open the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen.

OR Select the pipe for which you want to create a new fitting in the Drawing pane, and click the

Add/Change Fittings button, , in the Pipe pane to open the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen. Then

1. Click the Create new fitting button.

Clicking the Create new fitting button opens the Create new fitting section in the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen.


Figure 55 Add a fitting in the Pipe fitting friction coefficients listings

2. To change the symbol representing the fitting, click the Change button to open the Choose symbol screen.

Figure 56 Choose fitting symbol

3. Select the symbol you want to represent the fitting.

4. Click OK to add the symbol to the Symbol field and close the Choose symbol screen.

5. Type the fitting type name in the Type field.

6. Select the fitting’s metric size from the Metric list or select the fitting’s imperial size from the drop down nominal size listings.


7. You only need to select the metric or imperial fitting size. Pipe Flow Expert automatically populates the other size for you. For example, if you select 32 mm from the Metric list, the imperial equivalent, 1-1/4”, automatically appears in the Imperial field.

8. Type a description of the fitting in the Description field.

9. Click the Save this fitting data to list button to add the fitting to the Fitting Database list.

10. If you want to add the fitting to the pipe, as well as the fitting database, click the Add this fitting to pipe button to add the new fitting to the pipe.

11. The new fitting is displayed in the Fittings on section of the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen.


13. Click Save to add the fitting to the pipe, and to close the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen.

To add a fitting to the fitting database using a Calculate K value button:

1. Click the Show Item Info button, , on the tool bar.

2. Select a fitting in the Drawing pane to open the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen. Or 3. Select the pipe for which you want to create a new fitting in the Drawing pane, and click the

Add/Change Fittings button, , in the Pipe pane to open the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen.

4. Click the Calculate K value button that represents the fitting you are adding. Clicking one of the Calculate K value buttons opens the Create new fitting section in the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen, and the K value calculation screen for the selected button. For example, if you selected the sudden contraction button, the Sudden contraction K value calculation screen opens.


Figure 57 Sudden Contraction K value

5. Enter the applicable values in the K value calculation screen.

6. Click the Calculate button to calculate the fitting’s K value.

7. The calculated K value is displayed in the K value dialog.

8. When you have the desired K value, click the Create new fitting button to close the K value calculation screen, and add the calculated K value to the K value field in the Create new fitting section in the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog.

9. The Symbol field defaults to the symbol on the Calculated K value button you selected.

10. To change the symbol representing the fitting, click the Change button to open the Choose symbol screen.

11. Select the symbol you want to represent the fitting. Click OK to add the symbol to the Symbol field and close the Choose symbol screen

12. The Type field defaults to the type of fitting associated with the Calculated K value button selected.

13. To edit the fitting type, type the fitting type name in the Type field.

14. The Metric and Imperial fields default to N/A for fittings with a calculated K value. The user can select the nominal metric or imperial pipe size from the drop down listings if appropriate.

15. Type a description of the fitting in the Description field.

16. Click the Save this fitting data to list button to add the fitting to the fitting database and Fitting Database list.

If you want to add the fitting to the pipe, instead of the fitting database: Click the Add this fitting to pipe button to add the new fitting to the pipe. The new fitting is displayed in the Fittings on section of the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen.



2. Click Save to add the fitting to the pipe, and to close the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog.

Components

Certain components, such as strainers, boilers, heat exchanges, manifolds etc. cause a pressure loss in a system. In Pipe Flow Expert you can enter two types of pressure loss for components – fixed pressure loss or pressure loss specified by a data curve. Pressure loss for components are entered and maintained on the Set Component Pressure Loss screen. The pressure loss defined for a component can be saved to a .pfco file. This file provides a way to share the pressure loss data for a component, and quickly enter the pressure loss data when the same type of component is used again in the pipe system or a future pipe system. The .pfco file also provides a quick and easy way to evaluate different components with pressure loss in the pipe system to determine how each one affects the system. Currently in Pipe Flow Expert, you can only add one component pressure loss to each pipe. If there is more than one component on a pipe that causes a pressure loss, you can break up the applicable pipe into the number of pieces corresponding with the number of components causing a pressure loss. For example, if you have a pipe that is 100 feet long with two components causing a pressure loss, you can break the pipe into two pieces, each 50 feet long, and add one of the component pressure losses to each piece. How you divide a pipe does not matter, only the total length of the pieces added together matters – so that if the pipe is supposed to be 100 feet long, then the lengths of the pieces need to add up to 100 feet. NOTE: Be sure to enter the value for the pressure loss properties in the units displayed next to the field. For example, if you are using imperial units, and psi.g for pounds per square inch is displayed next to the Fixed Loss field, enter the value in pounds per square inch.

Adding a Component with a pressure loss To add a component’s pressure loss to a pipe:

1. You can add the pressure loss using the Add Component Pressure Loss button on the toolbar or the Add/Change Component Pressure Loss button in the Pipe Pane.

2. To add a pressure loss using the Add Component Pressure Loss tool bar button, click

the Add Component Pressure Loss button, .

3. When you click the Add Component Pressure Loss button, the pressure loss symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

4. Click on the pipe on the Drawing pane where you want to add a component pressure loss.

5. Clicking on the pipe opens the Set Component Pressure Loss dialog.


6. To add a pressure loss using the Add/Change Component Pressure Loss button in the

Pipe pane, select the pipe to which you want to add a pressure loss in the Drawing pane.


8. Click the Add/Change Component Pressure Loss button, .

9. The number of component pressure losses currently on the selected pipe is displayed on the Add/Change Component Pressure Loss button. Clicking the Add/Change Component Pressure Loss button opens the Set Component Pressure Loss dialog.

10. To add a component’s pressure loss data from an existing .pfco file, click the Load From File button, select the applicable .pfco file, click Open, edit the applicable fields, and then click the OK button.

Figure 58 Set Component Pressure Loss

11. Type the name of the component pressure loss in the Component Name field.

12. Select the Fixed Loss option, if the component’s pressure loss is a fixed pressure loss, and type the fixed pressure loss value.


13. Select the Curve Loss option, if the component’s pressure loss is based on a data curve.

14. Select Cv or Kv if the component flow versus pressure loss can is defined in this manner, and type the appropriate value. See the next section about Cv and Kv values for specific information about entering and using this type of data.

15. Click the Pressure Loss Scroll Up or Scroll Down button to select the component pressure loss image you want displayed on the pipe system drawing.

16. The image you select does not affect any of the component’s pressure loss properties or values.

17. Select the applicable units for the component pressure loss curve from the Curve Loss flow and head lists.

18. The left Curve Loss column represents the fluid’s flow values, and the right Curve Loss column represents the fluid head or pressure loss values.

19. Determine which points in the component’s pressure loss data curve, provided by the component manufacturer, that you want to include in the component’s pressure loss curve, and type the flow and head values for each of these points in the Curve Loss table.

20. Add a minimum of three and maximum of eight points in the Curve Loss table. After adding three curve points to the table, you can have Pipe Flow Expert calculate the remaining points by clicking the Generate Curve button.

21. Click OK to save and add the component pressure loss data to the pipe.

The pressure loss data you enter can be saved to a .pfco file by clicking the Save To File button. By saving the data to a .pfco file, you can reuse the component’s pressure loss data for other pipes in the pipe system or future pipe systems. When a component pressure loss is added to a pipe, the Include check box is displayed and

selected next to the Add/Change Component Pressure Loss button, . When the Include check box is selected, Pipe Flow Expert includes the data from the component pressure loss on the pipe in the calculations for solving the pipe system. To remove the component pressure loss data from the calculations, clear the Include check box. Information about calculating and solving pipe systems is available in Section: Calculating the System Flow and Pressure.


Cv and Kv Flow Coefficients There are many different types of components and control valves on the market. Each may have different flow / pressure loss characteristics. Manufactures of control valves usually publish a Cv flow coefficient or a Kv flow coefficient to describe the flow / pressure loss characteristics of their control valves in a standardized manner. A Cv flow coefficient specifies the volume of water in US gpm at 60°F (15.55°C) that will flow through a valve with a 1.0 psi pressure drop across the valve. Thus a Cv flow coefficient of 10 indicates that a 1.0 psi pressure drop will occur with a flow of 10 US gpm of water through the valve. Pressure drop for the different fluids and different flow rates can be calculated from the Cv flow coefficient. See ‘Calculation Theory and Methods of Solution’ section for further details. A Kv flow coefficient specifies the volume of water in m3/hour at 20°C (68 °F) that will flow through a valve with a 1.0 bar pressure drop across the valve. Thus a Kv flow coefficient of 10 indicates that a 1.0 bar pressure drop will occur with a flow of 10m3/hour of water through the valve. Pressure drop for the different fluids and different flow rates can be calculated from the Kv flow coefficient. See ‘Calculation Theory and Methods of Solution’ section for further details. The component object is used to model the flow rate / pressure loss of control valves with Cv or Kv flow coefficients.

Adding a component/valve with a Cv or Kv value To add a component/valve with a Cv or Kv flow coefficient:

1. Add a component to a pipe as described in the previous section.

2. Type the name of the control valve in the Component Name field.

3. Select a Cv, Kv, or Valve symbol to represent the component on the schematic drawing.

4. Select the Cv radio button and enter the Cv flow coefficient value Or Select the Kv radio

button and enter the Kv flow coefficient value.

5. Click OK to save and add the Cv/Kv flow coefficient data to the pipe.

Figure 59 Adding a Cv / Kv flow coefficient value


The component dialog includes ‘helpers’ to assist in calculating an appropriate Cv or Kv flow coefficient value for a particular flow rate and pressure drop (based on the current fluid). Click the calculator button to display the calculator. The user should be aware that the Cv or Kv flow coefficient specifies the flow rate of water for a particular pressure loss. When the fluid density is greater or less than water, a different flow rate of the fluid will be required to produce a 1.00 psi or a 1 bar pressure loss through the valve. CAUTIONS: If the fluid is a gas, the flow rate entered into the calculator must represent the actual flow rate for the compressed gas condition, i.e. the volumetric flow rate of the gas based on the gas density defined in the current fluid. Generally it would be better to use a mass flow rate entry for the calculation instead of a volumetric flow rate. If the fluid is a gas and the pressure drop exceeds 50% of the inlet pressure to the valve, the flow will become choked and it will not be possible to achieve the calculated flow rate. If this occurs, Pipe Flow Expert will warn of a problem in the Result Log. Pipe Flow Expert does not model changes in the gas characteristics due to changes in pressure or temperature. It uses the density and viscosity of the gas as defined in the current fluid. See section on Working With Compressible Fluids for more information. Important Note: To correctly model the pressure drop for the entered Cv or Kv value the density of the gas used in the calculation must be the density of the gas at the outlet of the valve/component. In effect this means that the fluid data for the fluid zone associated with the pipe where the component with a Cv or Kv value is, must be defined for the approximate pressure condition at the outlet of the valve/component, i.e. specify the current fluid data so that the density represents the approximate density of the gas at the outlet of the component after the additional pressure drop. Pipe Flow Expert will calculate the pressure drop through the component/valve for a particular flow at a given density (as defined by the current fluid zone) based on its Cv or Kv flow coefficient value. If the fluid zone associated with the control valve does not represent the pressure condition at the outlet of the valve/component, it may be necessary to use an adjusted Cv (or Kv) value for valve selection to take in to account the effect of the gas expansion. The adjusted Cv (or Kv) value should be based on the Cv or Kv formula for sub critical gas pressure drop. See ‘Calculation Theory and Methods of Solution’ section for further details about Cv and Kv flow coefficient calculations for systems where the fluid is a gas. The Cv (or Kv) flow coefficient of a component/valve is usually stated for the fully open flow condition. The Cv (or Kv) flow coefficient will be less when the valve is partly closed. In an actual system it is important to select a control valve which has an appropriate Cv or Kv flow coefficient for the actual valve position that will be used. A control valve that is too small or too large will not be able to provide the correct control characteristics in a pipe system. Most control valve manufactures recommend that you should select a valve where the required Cv (or Kv) value matches the given valve Cv (or Kv) value when operating within 20% - 80% of the valve’s range.


When selecting a valve to control a ‘top end’ pressure loss you should select a valve where the required Cv (or Kv) value is in the higher operating range of the valve, normally where the required Cv (or Kv) value matches the given valve Cv (or Kv) value when operating at about 70% of the valve’s range. Some control valve manufactures recommend that an allowance of 30% should be added to the required Cv (or Kv) flow coefficient to obtain the minimum Cv (or Kv) flow coefficient rating that the selected valve should have. Please check your control valve selection with the control valve manufacturer.


Control Valves (FCV, PRV, BPV)

Control valves may be used to control flow or pressure at various points in a system.

• A flow control valve (FCV) determines the required flow rate for the fluid in a pipe.

• A pressure reducing valve (PRV) controls the pressure at the end of a pipe.

• A back pressure valve (BPV) controls the pressure at the start of a pipe.

The modeling of Flow Control Valves, Pressure Reducing Valves and Back Pressure Valves requires that the flow rates and pressures from adjacent pipes must be used as a reference to establish the pressure loss that control valve must introduce. To allow this modeling a control valve cannot be added to any pipe where a joining pipe already includes a control valve.

To add a control valve to a pipe:

1. You can add a flow control using the Add Control Valve button on the tool bar or the

Add/Change Control Valve button in the Pipe Pane.

2. To add a control valve using the Add Control Valve tool bar button, click the Add Control

Valve button, .

3. When you click the Add Control Valve button, the control valve symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

4. Click on the pipe on the Drawing pane where you want to add a control valve.

5. Clicking on the pipe opens the Set Control Data screen.

6. To add a flow control using the Add/Change Control Valve button in the Pipe pane, select the pipe to which you want to add a control valve in the Drawing pane.


8. Click the Add/Change Control Valve button, .

9. If there is a control valve currently on the selected pipe a number 1 is displayed on the Add/Change Control Valve button. Clicking the Add/Change Control Valve button opens the Set Control Data screen.


Figure 60 Set Control Valve Data

10. Select the type of control valve to be added (FCV, PRV or BPV) by clicking one of the radio buttons.

11. The screen will change to allow the entry of data for the type of valve selected.

12. Enter the appropriate data for the control valve type.

13. If you wish to enter an allowable differential pressure range for the valve operation click the check box and enter the ‘From’ and ‘To’ pressure values. When the system is solved a warning will be issued if the differential pressure across the control valve is outside the entered range.

14. Click OK to add the control valve to the pipe.

When a control valve of any type is added to a pipe, the Include check box is displayed and selected next to the Add/Change Flow Control button. When the Include check box is selected, Pipe Flow Expert includes the data from the flow controls on the pipe in the calculations for solving the pipe system. To remove the flow control data from the calculations, clear the Include check box. Information about calculating and solving pipe systems is available in Section: Calculating the System Flow and Pressure.

Adding a Flow Control Valve A flow control valve determines the required flow rate for the fluid in a pipe.

1. Open the Set Control Data dialog as described in the previous section.

2. Click the flow control valve (FCV) radio button.

3. Type the name of the flow control valve in the Control Name field.


4. Select the appropriate units of flow from the drop down list.

5. Type the required flow rate for the fluid in the pipe in the Set Flow field.

6. Enter the allowable differential pressure range for the valve operation if appropriate.

7. Click OK to add the flow control valve to the pipe.

NOTE: The flow control valve (FCV) introduces an additional pressure loss in the pipe to control the flow to the value specified by the user. The additional pressure loss is reported in the results tables. Using the flow rate and the additional pressure loss the user can calculate the Cv or Kv value for a suitable valve which will allow the flow to be controlled at the required flow rate. The flow control valve (FCV) cannot introduce a negative pressure loss. The FCV would need to act as pump to add pressure, which it cannot do. If this situation is encountered when a system is analyzed it will not be possible to identify a valid solution. The flow control valve setting will have to be amended or the flow control valve may have to be removed to allow a solution to be calculated.

Adding a Pressure Reducing Valve A pressure reducing valve controls and regulates the pressure downstream of the valve.


2. Click the pressure reducing valve (PRV) radio button.

3. Type the name of the pressure reducing valve in the Control Name field.

4. Type the required reduced pressure in the Set Pressure field.


6. Click OK to add the pressure reducing valve to the pipe.

NOTE: The pressure reducing valve (PRV) introduces an additional pressure loss in the pipe to control the downstream pressure at the end of the pipe to the value specified by the user. The additional pressure loss across the control valve is reported in the results tables. A PRV can operate under three different conditions: (1) regulating, (2) fully closed, and (3) fully open. How the valve operates depends on the defined set pressure value for the valve. The fully open and fully closed positions represent the extreme operations of the valve. Each of the valve positions is described below:

(1) Regulating The valve maintains the downstream pressure to the set value by introducing a

pressure loss across the valve, thus throttling the flow rate through the PRV. (2) Fully Closed This mode of operation occurs if the valve’s set pressure is less than the

pressure downstream of the valve for the case where the valve is closed. When this occurs in an actual pipe system, the flow through the PRV reverses and the PRV acts as a check valve, closing the pipe. In PipeFlow Expert, this method of operation is detected and reported but the system is not then solved for this scenario. The user must decide if this method of operation is what they intended and if so then they can close the pipe and continue to solve the system.


(3) Fully Open This mode of operation occurs if the valve’s set pressure is greater than the pressure upstream of the valve for the case where the valve is fully open. When this occurs in an actual pipe system, the PRV maintains a fully open position and it has no effect on the flow conditions (except to add a frictional loss through the valve). In PipeFlow Expert, this method of operation is detected and reported. But the system is not solved because the differential pressure across the valve would have to be negative, i.e. the valve would be acting like a pump rather than a pressure control.

Pipe Flow Expert will only solve a system when the PRV is operating in Regulating mode. AVOIDING PRV OPERATION PROBLEMS: In general, PRV operation problems can be avoided by finding the valve's pressure regulating range and specifying the valve’s set pressure to a value within this range such that the mode of operation is ‘Regulating’. First, solve the system without the PRV control and note the pressure at the node downstream of the pipe which previously contained the PRV. This is the maximum pressure the PRV can be set to (i.e. it is equivalent to finding the valve’s inlet pressure for the case where the valve is fully open). Secondly, solve the system after closing the pipe that contains the PRV and note the pressure at the node downstream of the closed pipe. This is the minimum pressure the PRV can be set to (i.e. it is equivalent to finding the pressure downstream of the valve for the case where the valve is fully closed).

Adding a Back Pressure Valve A back pressure valve controls and regulates the pressure upstream of the valve.


2. Click the back pressure valve (BPV) radio button.

3. Type the name of the back pressure valve in the Control Name field.

4. Type the required back pressure in the Set Pressure field.


6. Click OK to add the pressure reducing valve to the pipe.

NOTE: The back pressure valve (BPV) introduces an additional pressure loss in the pipe to control the upstream pressure at the start of the pipe to the value specified by the user. The additional pressure loss across the control valve is reported in the results tables. A BPV can operate under three different conditions: (1) regulating, (2) fully closed, and (3) fully open. How the valve operates depends on the defined set pressure value for the valve. The fully open and fully closed positions represent the extreme operations of the valve. Each of the valve positions is described below:

(1) Regulating The valve maintains the upstream pressure to the set value by introducing a

pressure loss across the valve, thus reducing the flow rate through the BPV. (2) Fully Closed This mode of operation occurs if the valve’s set pressure is greater than the

pressure upstream of the valve for the case where the valve is closed. When this occurs in an actual pipe system, the flow through the BPV reverses and the BPV acts as a check valve, closing the pipe. In PipeFlow Expert, this method of operation is detected and reported but the system is not then solved for this scenario. The user must decide if this method of operation is what they intended and if so then they can close the pipe and continue to solve the system.


(3) Fully Open This mode of operation occurs if the valve’s set pressure is less than the

pressure downstream of the valve for the case where the valve is fully open. When this occurs in an actual pipe system, the BPV maintains a fully open position and it has no effect on the flow conditions (except to add a frictional loss through the valve). In PipeFlow Expert, this method of operation is detected and reported but the system is not solved because the differential pressure across the valve would have to be negative, i.e. the valve would be acting like a pump rather than a pressure control.

Pipe Flow Expert will only solve a system when the BPV is operating in Regulating mode. AVOIDING BPV OPERATION PROBLEMS: In general, BPV operation problems can be avoided by finding the valve's pressure regulating range and specifying the valve’s set pressure to a value within this range such that the mode of operation is ‘Regulating’. First, solve the system without the BPV control and note the pressure at the node upstream of the pipe which previously contained the BPV. This is the minimum pressure the BPV can be set to (i.e. it is equivalent to finding the pressure at the valve outlet for the case where the valve is fully open). Secondly, solve the system after closing the pipe that contains the BPV and note the pressure at the node upstream of the closed pipe. This is the maximum pressure the BPV can be set to (i.e. it is equivalent to finding the pressure at the valve inlet for the case where the valve is fully closed).


Pumps

A pump can be added to any pipe, except a pipe that contains a control valve. Options are provided to choose how the pump should be modeled:

• A Fixed Flow Rate Pump

• A Fixed Head / Pressure Rise Pump

• A Fixed Speed Pump (with a flow versus head performance curve)

A pump’s properties, including its pump curve, are defined and graphed on the Pump Data screen. The Pump Data screen has an interactive graph that allows you to determine which elements of the pump graph are displayed. It also provides functionality to calculate pump values for different points on the graph, including the pump’s NPSHr (Net Positive Suction Head requirement) and efficiency percentage. You can also save the data associated with a Pump to the Pump Database or a .pfpm file. This provides a way to share the pump data, and quickly load the pump data, when the same type of pump is used again in the pipe system or a future pipe system. Saving and loading pump data also provides a quick and easy way to evaluate different pumps at a specific point in the pipe system to determine how each one affects the system. NOTE: Be sure to enter the values for the pump data in the correct units (you can select which units you wish to use). For example, if you are using metric units, and m for meter is displayed next to a field, enter the pump value in meters.

Adding a Pump To add a pump to a pipe:

1. You can add a pump using the Add Pump button on the tool bar or the Add/Change Pump

button in the Pipe Pane.

2. To add a pump using the Add Pump tool bar button, click the Add Pump button, .

3. When you click the Add Pump button, the pump symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

4. Click on the pipe on the Drawing pane where you want to add a pump.

5. You can add a pump to a pipe in the system. Clicking on the pipe opens a Confirm dialog. 6. The Distance Along Pipe and at Elevation fields are automatically populated with default

values. The value in the Distance Along Pipe field is determined by where you added the pump along the pipe (the distance from start of the pipe). The value in the at Elevation field is defaulted to the elevation at the start of the pipe.


Figure 61 Add Pump Confirm dialog

7. Click Yes when asked, Do you want to enter the pump data now? Clicking Yes adds the pump to the system, and opens the Pump Data screen.

8. To add a pump using the Add/Change Pump button in the Pipe pane, select the pipe to which you want to add a pump in the Drawing pane.


10. Click the Add/Change Pump button, .

11. The number of pumps currently on the selected pipe is displayed on the Add/Change Pump button. Clicking the Add/Change Pump button opens the Pump Data screen.

12. The values for Distance Along Pipe and at Elevation fields should be entered by the user.

13. Click the Pump Scroll Up or Scroll Down button to select the pump symbol you want displayed on the pipe system drawing.

14. The image you select does not affect any of the pump’s properties or values.

15. Use the Pump Data screen to choose the Pump Type to be modelled and to define the properties of the pump.

Adding a Fixed Flow Rate Pump

This pump type is used to specify the pump flow rate for a positive displacement pump, such as a piston pump or a peristaltic pump. The system will be solved and the required head from the pump will be calculated. If the performance curve for a pump is not available, this pump-type can also be used to establish the flow / head requirements for a centrifugal pump. Setting the pump to a particular flow rate allows the system to be solved and the required pump head is then calculated. A user can select a centrifugal pump that meets the flow and head requirement, after which chosen pump’s flow / head performance data can be entered and the system re-solved to find the exact operating point on the pump curve.


See the note about limitations of a fixed flow rate pump option.

To model a fixed flow rate pump condition: 1. Add a pump to a pipe (as described in the previous Adding a Pump section).

2. Ensure that the distance along the pipe and at elevation fields have been filled in and the

pump symbol you want displayed on the pipe system drawing has been selected.

3. Type the pump’s name in the Name field.

4. Click the Set Flow Rate radio button.

5. Select the flow rate units and enter the flow rate required.

6. Click the Save button to save the pump flow rate data to the pipe.

Figure 62 Fixed Flow Rate Pump

The system can now be solved, using the fixed flow rate from the pump.

Note about Fixed Flow Rate Pumps Since the flow rate of the pump is fixed, the addition of multiple fixed flow rate pumps may produce a system where the in flow and out flow of a particular node are not the same and this would result in an invalid system where a flow balance could never be achieved. The fixed flow rate pump cannot adjust to give a flow / pressure balance within the system so some other part of the system must be allowed to vary. If flow control valves are also used, at least one flow path must have no control device fitted. If all flow paths are controlled, it will not be possible to solve the system, and in this case the system is termed over-controlled. If a pump with a fixed flow rate is used on a ‘main line’ that branches to other paths with flow control valves then at least one path must have no flow control valve fitted. The flow rate along this path will be set to the difference between the total flow in all other paths and the flow rate produced by the fixed flow rate pump. Flow control valves need to have a positive pressure at their inlet that is sufficient to meet the ongoing system pressure loss plus the pressure loss that the flow control valve needs to introduce to achieve a balance within the pipe system. If this positive pressure cannot be achieved, it will not be possible to solve the system.


Adding a Fixed Head / Pressure Rise Pump If the performance curve for a pump is not available, the analysis of the pipeline system can be carried out using a fixed value for the pump head / pressure rise to be added by the pump. This pump type is used to specify the additional increase in head (pressure) that a pump will add in to the system. When the system is solved, the flow produced by the pump will be calculated. When difficulties are experienced in solving a system, perhaps because a chosen pump is not capable of producing the required flow, it can be useful to solve the system using a fixed head pump that adds a high pressure. The fixed head added by the pump can then be progressively reduced, and the system re-solved, to identify the minimum pressure needed to produce the required flow through the system Using a fixed head pump as described above can often help identify bottlenecks in the system, where perhaps design changes can be made to achieve the required flow rate with a lower pump head

To model a fixed head / pressure rise pump condition: 1. Add a pump to a pipe (as described in the previous Adding a Pump section).

2. Ensure that the distance along the pipe and at elevation fields have been filled in and the

pump symbol you want displayed on the pipe system drawing has been selected.


4. Click the Set Head Increase radio button.

5. Select the head / pressure units and enter the head / pressure to be added.

6. Click the Save button to save the pump head / pressure data to the pipe.

Figure 63 Fixed Head / Pressure Pump

The system can now be solved, using the fixed head / pressure added by the pump.


Adding a Fixed Speed Pump Curve To add a fixed speed pump to a pipe:

1. Add a pump to a pipe (as described in the previous Adding a Pump section).

2. Ensure that the distance along the pipe and at elevation fields have been filled in and

the pump symbol you want displayed on the pipe system drawing has been selected.


4. Click the Set Speed radio button.

5. Type the pump’s number of rotations per minute (rpm) in the Speed field.

6. Choose the diameter units and enter the pump impeller diameter (if applicable).

7. Select the applicable units for the pump curve from the Flow and Head drop down lists.

8. Determine the points from the manufacturer’s pump graph that you wish to include on the Pump Curve graph, and enter the head, efficiency and NPSHr values for each of these points in the Pump Curve section of the Pump Data performance table.

9. Add a minimum of 4 and maximum of 10 points to the Pump Curve section.

Figure 64 Pump Data screen


10. Type Define the Preferred Operating Region around the pump’s best efficiency point by specifying the preferred flow rate range between a From percentage and a To percentage of the flow at the best efficiency point.

11. Once the operating points have been entered, click the ‘Draw Graph’ button to produce an operating curve for the pump.

12. Click the Save Pump to Pipe to add the pump data to the Pipe Flow Expert system.

13. The system can now be solved and the balanced operating point of the centrifugal pump will be determined.

14. The pump will produce a flow rate and pump head to match the frictional resistance throughout the system. The duty point will be identified on the performance curve for the operating speed of the pump .

15. More complex pump graphs can be produced which include speed & diameter adjustments, together with iso lines that display an efficiency map for the pump.

16. The pump data that has been entered can be saved to a Standalone Pump File with a pfpm extension by clicking the Save button on the toolbar on the pump ccreen or by selecting the Save Standalone Pump File from the pump screen file menu options.

17. By saving the data to a Standalone Pump File (with a .pfpm extension), you can reuse the pump data for other pumps in the pipe system or future pipe systems.

18. To add a pump’s data using an existing .pfpm file, click the Load Pump from File button or select the Load Standalone Pump File from the pump screen menu options. Select the applicable .pfpm file, click Open, edit the applicable fields, and then click the Save Pump to Pipe button.

When a pump is added to a pipe, the Include check box is displayed and set as selected, next to the

Add/Change Pump button, . When the Include check box is selected, Pipe Flow Expert includes the data from the pumps on the pipe in the calculations for solving the pipe system. To remove the pump data from the calculations, clear the Include check box.


Working with Pump Curve Graph Once the data for a centrifugal pump has been added, you can view an interactive graphical representation of the data in the graph section of the Pump Data screen.

To view the Pump Curve Graph:

1. Click on a pump in a Pipe Flow Expert system to open the Pump Data screen. Click the

Draw Graph button to generate and display the Pump Curve graph.

2. Click the Graph Options button to open the graph options screen. Select the check boxes for the elements you wish to be displayed on the graph.

3. Clear the check boxes for the elements that you do not want displayed on the graph.

4. When you select a check box, the element appears on the graph. When you clear a check box, the element is removed from the graph.

5. To view the pump head, NPSHr, efficiency percentage and power for a specific flow rate, type the flow rate in the Flow field above the graph drawing.

6. Click the Calculate button.

Figure 65 Pump Graph with NPSHr and Power


7. The calculated pump head, NPSHr, efficiency percentage, and power for the entered flow rate are displayed, and the point is mapped on the Pump Curve graph. The design point is represented by a red marker on the graph.

8. To view the flow rate, NPSHr, efficiency percentage and power for a specific head, type the pump head in the Head field above the graph drawing.

9. Click the Calculate button.

10. The calculated flow rate, NPSHr, efficiency percentage, and power for the entered pump head are displayed, and the point is mapped on the Pump Curve graph. The design point is represented by a red marker on the graph.

11. A logo may be added to the pump graph. Click the Add Logo button on the pump graph area to load a logo image. Click the Expand button to view a larger graph.

12. Any relevant notes may be added to the Notes field.

13. The Pump Data screen menu provides options to:

• Save the pump data to a Standalone pump file. • Add the pump to the pump database. • Open the graph options to allow selection of the items to be included on the graph. • Copy the graph image. • Create a PDF pump sheet with a high resolution performance graph.

14. Further functionality allows the import of a scanned image of a manufacturer’s pump curve,

plus modelling of performance predictions for changes in pump operating speed and variations in impeller diameters. The following sections describe the use of these further options.


Import Pump Curve Image

Pipe Flow Expert provides functionally to import and create a mathematical pump model which allows adjustment of the pump performance for different operating speeds & impeller diameters.

To import a pump curve image and plot Flow v Head points:

Click on a pump in a Pipe Flow Expert system to open the Pump Data screen

Click the ‘Import Curve Image’ button to open the import screen.

Follow these steps to create a mathematical model of the pump performance.

Step 1: Import an image of a pump manufacturer’s performance graph

Step 2: Set the range of the X axis (flow) & the flow units. Now click the start & end points of the X axis on the imported image.

Step 3: Set the range of the Y axis (head) & the head units. Now click the start & end points of the Y axis on the imported image.

Step 4: Click on the ‘Select Points on Curve’ button. Click the shut off head point at zero flow for the chosen curve. A red cross shows the point that has been selected.


Step 5: Click additional points on the chosen pump curve (in order to define it across the flow range of the pump). Enter the Efficiency & NPSHr associated with each operating point. Repeat for up to 10 points to build the pump model.

Step 6: This input table can be moved around the screen in order to allow viewing of any parts of the pump curve which may be obscured. Click on the header bar and drag it to a new position. The table shows Flow, Head, Efficiency and NPSHr entries. Select from the heading drop down to switch between display of Head, Efficiency and NPSHr values. Entries can be updated and deleted as required. Step 7: Enter the pump operating speed, impeller diameter and specify the impeller units. Click ‘Save Data to Pump’ to return to the main Pump Screen.

The imported data produces a pump graph with a flow versus head performance curve. This simple pump object can be ‘Saved’ on to a pipe within a system.

The Pump Catalog, Manufacturer, Pump Type, Motor rpm, Pump Size, Stages and Notes fields should be filled in before saving the pump to a system or the pump database. This supplementary information will be included on the PDF Pump Data Sheet and on the system’s Results PDF Report when these documents are produced. The supplementary information will also be available in the future when pump data is loaded from the pump database.


Figure 66 Simple Pump Graph from imported points

When a system is solved the pump’s operating point will be calculated and the Flow Rate, Head, Efficiency and NPSHr values will be displayed together with shaft power. A system curve can also be plotted through the operating point Further options are available for the modelling of predicted pump performance when changes in pump operating speed and variations to pump impeller diameters are applied. The following sections describe the use of these further options


Variable Speed and Change to Impeller Size

The pump model may be enhanced to predict the pump performance for a range different operating speeds & different impeller diameters.

To define the limits for the pump performance, enter the minimum & maximum operating speed data, and the minimum & maximum size of the impeller diameter.

Click the ‘Draw Graph’ button to re-draw and show the new operating range.

The pump graph will be re-drawn by using standard affinity laws to predict the flow & head performance for the maximum & minimum impeller diameters.

The ‘Graph Options’ button provides access to additional settings that configure the color and display of items on the graph, and it also provides

access to allow bespoke configuration of the predicted pump performance data, so that it can be matched to a pump’s real-world performance as detailed on a pump manufacturers graph and data sheet.

The pump graph can be set to display the Design Curve, Design Point, Operating Envelope, System Curve, Preferred Operating Region, and Efficiency Curve. Shaft Power and NPSHr graphs can be displayed below the main performance graph Efficiency data can also be displayed on the graph, either as a single line for a specific pump curve, or as a series of iso efficiency lines that show efficiency performance across a range of impeller sizes A logo image can be added to the pump graph


Predicted Performance Data Initially the pump’s predicted performance is based on the standard affinity laws.

Figure 67 Pump Initial Affinity Predictions

In many cases the predicted performance curves will agree closely with a pump manufacturer’s published graph, however for more accurate modelling of pump performance, it may be necessary to adjust the predicted shut-off head, curvature & efficiency points for the predicted curves at the maximum and minimum impeller diameters.

The ‘Adjust Pump Model’ button provides access to functionality that allows customization of the predicted pump performance curves.


The ‘Adjust Flow v Head’ options can be used to adjust the shut-off head & the rate of curvature for the minimum & maximum impeller diameter curves, to match them to the published performance data.

The ‘Adjust Predicted Efficiencies’ options allow the predicted efficiency values to be modified to match the published performance data.

A number of iso efficiency ‘shapes’ are pre defined in the dropdown options. These choices provide an easy method of selecting an initial starting position for the iso efficiency map. Once a further adjustment has been made to the data the iso efficiency shape selection type will become user defined match.

The slide adjustments allow the curvature of groups of iso efficiency lines to be moved as a block to the left or right. The BEP (best efficiency point) on the base data performance curve is used to divide the performance graph into different areas. These adjustments should be used to match the efficiency points on the maximum and minimum impeller performance curves. Final adjustment of individual efficiency points on the maximum and minimum performance curves can be made (if necessary) by selecting the ‘Update Individual Efficiency Points’ option.

To adjust an individual efficiency point, click on a ‘Green’ point on the performance curves and use the up/down adjustment to set the efficiency value for the point. The point will be colored ‘Red’ to indicate an adjustment has been made. These adjustments may be reset by clicking the ‘Clear’ button


Additional adjustments for NPSHr and efficiency predictions at different operating speeds can also be made in order that the performance of the pump across a range of speeds and impeller diameters is accurately mapped. The efficiency of a centrifugal pump generally reduces as the operating speed is reduced. It can be seen from many pump manufactures performance graphs that a speed reduction of 50% will reduce the pump efficiency by around 5%. When a pump is required to operate at low flow rates and/or in low efficiency areas a centrifugal pump may not perform as expected. Operation in these areas may not be recommended. The minimum flow line can be set as a percentage of the maximum flow on a particular curve. Pipe Flow Expert will not include pumps which operate below the minimum flow line setting when searching the pump database for suitable pumps to match a particular flow rate. Once a pump has been modelled to match the published data, the complete pump model can be saved to the searchable Pump Database for future use. A pump data sheet in PDF format can also be produced. This shows detailed information about the pump and provides a scalable high resolution image of the pump performance graph.

The adjusted pump graph can be used in a Pipe Flow Expert system to model the complete performance of the pump over a range of speeds and impeller sizes.

Figure 68 Adjusted Pump Model

A logo image can also be added to the pump graph to assist with identification of the pump.


Search Pump Database

The Pump Database can be used to search for pumps that match a set of specified criteria, which include flow & head requirements within a given speed range. There are further search refinements that filter the results to look for solutions with the best efficiencies, largest impellers or fastest operating speeds.

The user can work through the pump search results by clicking on a row in the Filtered Results Grid or by using the up and down cursor keys to scroll through rows in the grid. As a row on information about a pump is highlighted, the corresponding pump performance graph is shown

Click the ‘Select this Pump’ button to transfer the chosen pump details to the pump data screen.


Browse Pump Database

The Pump Database can also be switched in to Browse mode, which allows a user to select a Pump Library from a dropdown list of folders. This is automatically populated with a list of available pump folders from within the Pipe Flow Expert installation.

Once a folder is selected, the pumps within the chosen pump library folder are displayed in the Browse List, where the user can click on a pump to show its corresponding pump performance graph. The units used to display the flow rate and pump head on the performance graph should be selected from the dropdown options in the Browse window. The pump data may have originally been created using flow rate units and head units that are different from those now required. Selection of new flow and head units will produce a new performance graph in the chosen units, with the software automatically converting the original data to the new flow and head units.

Both the performance curve and the NPSHr curve can be shown in the pump graph window. As the user browses a Pump Library folder, pumps can ‘saved’ for further consideration by clicking the button to add them to the filtered list. Once a user has found a suitable pump, it can be selected for use in the pipe system by clicking the ‘Select’ button, or by double clicking on the chosen pump.


Example Pumps (with Flow versus Head curve) Two sets of example pump files are included in the sub-folders ‘GenericPumps_EndSuction_50Hz’ and ‘GenericPumps_EndSuction_60Hz’. These sub-folders are located in the ‘Pumps’ folder that is created as part of a Pipe Flow Expert installation. When a user opens the Pump Database all sub-folders within the main ‘Pumps’ folder will be displayed within the Library dropdowns of the Search and Browse sections. An appropriate folder should be chosen on which to perform the Search or Browse.

The example pumps can be loaded and used to see the results that are produced by using different pump operating data. This data is provided solely as example data and is not related to any specific pump manufacturer.

When adding further pump data to the pump database, we recommend that a new folder is created for each pump manufacturer. The pumps can then be organized and saved in named folders.


Demand Flows

A demand in-flow or demand out-flow can be set at any join point in the system, or at the end of a single pipe if flow is entering or leaving the system at that point. A demand can also be the pressure required at an end node, however a node cannot have both a demand flow and a demand pressure. A demand in-flow is the volume of fluid required to enter the system at a join point. A demand out-flow is the volume of fluid required to leave the system at a join point. Demand flows may also be used to specify the required flow rate at the end of a pipe where fluid is flowing out of the system, or to specify the flow rate at the end of a pipe where fluid is entering the system. A pipe can have a demand flow or a demand pressure at the end of a pipe but it cannot have both. Demand flows can be added to a join point from the Node pane or the Drawing pane. Demand flow values are set on the Set Flow Demands dialog. The demand flows are then shown at the appropriate node on the Drawing pane. NOTE: Be sure to enter the value for the required fluid flow rate in the units displayed next to the field. For example, if you are using imperial units, and ft3/sec for cubic feet per second is displayed next to the In Flow and Out Flow fields, enter the value in cubic feet per second.

Adding a Demand Flow at a join point To add a demand flow to a join point in the pipe system:

1. Click the Add Demand (Flow) button, , on the tool bar.

2. When you click the Add Demand (Flow) button, the demand flow symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

3. Click on the join point on the Drawing pane where you want to add a demand flow.

4. The Set Flow Demands dialog opens.

5. To add a demand flow from the Node pane, select a join point on the Drawing pane to display the join point’s properties in the Node pane, and then click one of the Edit buttons in the Node pane to open the Set Flow Demands dialog. Both Edit buttons in the Node pane open the Set Flow Demands dialog.


Figure 69 Set Flow Demands dialog

6. Select the flow units from the drop down list of available units.

7. Type the required flow rate for the fluid ENTERING the system at the join point in the In Flow field, if applicable.

8. Type the required flow rate for the fluid LEAVING the system from the join point in the Out Flow field, if applicable.

9. If you select a different flow unit, the value entry will be converted automatically to the equivalent value for the current selected flow unit.

10. Click OK to add the join point’s demand flow.


Demand Pressures

A demand pressure can only be set at exit points from the system, i.e. the boundaries or end nodes. A demand pressure, referred to as an end pressure in the Node pane, is the required pressure demand at the end of a pipe when the fluid is discharged. For example, in a sprinkler system, each sprinkler head may have a required minimum pressure. To find the fluid flow rate exiting the pipe system, a demand pressure is drawn and the required pressure set for each sprinkler head. Demand pressures can only be set at the end of a pipe that does not join into anything else. A pipe can have a demand flow or a demand pressure at the end of a pipe but it cannot have both.

Adding a Demand Pressure at an end node To add a demand pressure to an end node:

1. Click the Add Demand (Pressure) button, , on the tool bar.

2. When you click the Add Demand (Pressure) button, the demand pressure symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

3. Click on the end of a pipe on the Drawing pane where you want to add a demand pressure.

4. Click Yes when asked ‘Do you wish to change the type of node to an end demand pressure?’

5. The demand pressure is added to the pipe system, and is selected on the Drawing pane. Define the demand pressure’s properties in the Node pane.

Figure 70 Node pane for end pressures

6. Type the demand pressure’s name in the Node field.

7. End Pressure is automatically selected in the Type list.


8. Click the Demand Pressure Scroll Up or Scroll Down button to select the demand pressure image you want displayed on the pipe system drawing.

9. The image you select does not affect any of the demand pressure’s properties or values.

10. Type the required pressure for the end of the pipe in the Pressure field.

11. Type the elevation at the demand pressure in the Elevation field.

12. Type any applicable notes regarding the demand pressure in the Notes field.

13. To add additional demand pressures to the system, repeat Steps 3 – 12.


Text Items

Text items allow you to add free text labels at any position on the pipe system drawing. These are useful for annotating a system during and after the design process and provide an easy and clear way to provide additional details about specific items on the drawing.

Using the Add Text button, , on the tool bar, you can add text to the drawing and/or modify text that has been previously added.

Adding Text to the drawing To add and/or modify text:

1. Click the Add Text button, , on the tool bar.

2. A circle will appear at the top left of any text that has been previously added.

3. To modify previously added text click this circle to display the Add Free Text Label dialog.

4. To add new text click in a clear space on the drawing pane to display the Add Free Text Label dialog.

Figure 71 Add Free Text Label Dialog

5. Enter or amend the text, choose the color, size, style and angle for the text.

6. Click OK to place the text on the drawing at the position that was clicked.

7. To align the text to the nearest grid intersection check the Left Align to Grid / Top Align to Grid check boxes before clicking the OK button

8. Click Delete to remove the text from the drawing.


9. To move the individual text to a new position, use the Drag and Move menu button to highlight all items on the drawing. Select a highlighted item of text, and while holding down the left mouse button, drag the text to its new position on the drawing.

10. The text may also be moved as part of a selected group. Use the selection tool to enclose the items to be moved, and include the top left area of any text to be moved.


Viewing, Modifying, and Deleting Items

Pipe Flow Expert comes with a number of tools for viewing and modifying a pipe system from the drawing pane. The units and labelling options selected in the Configuration Options dialog determine which values are displayed on the pipe system in the Drawing pane.

Additional details can be viewed for components by clicking the Show Item Info button, , on the tool bar and selecting a specific component in the Drawing pane. The following sub-sections describe zooming, viewing, panning, modifying and moving items.

Zooming in or Out in the Drawing Pane The zoom function in Pipe Flow Expert provides the ability to view a pipe system up close or to see more of the pipe system at a reduced size. The zoom function can also be used as part of the printing process. When you print a pipe system in Pipe Flow Expert, only the visible part of image, what is currently displayed in the Drawing pane, is printed. The zoom function helps you define how much of a system is printed. If your mouse has a scroll button, you can also use the scroll button to zoom in and out in the Drawing pane. Scroll down to zoom out, and scroll up to zoom in.

To zoom in or out in the Drawing pane:

1. Click the, , Zoom Out button on the tool bar to view the system farther out in the Drawing pane.

2. Click the, , Zoom In button on the tool bar to magnify the system in the Drawing pane.

3. To view a large pipe system in its entirety, you can click the , Zoom Drawing to Fit Screen button to see the whole system in the Drawing pane.

4. Click a zoom percentage from the, , Zoom list on the tool bar to zoom in or out in the Drawing pane.

Zooming in to a Selected Area The selected area zoom function provides the ability to quickly and automatically zoom in to a selected area of the pipe system.

To Zoom In to a Selected Area:

1. Click the Selection tool button, , on the tool bar.

2. When you click the Selection tool button, the selection icon is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

3. Draw a box around the node or group of components you want to view in the Drawing pane.


4. To draw a box, click where you want to start the box in the Drawing pane and hold down the left mouse button, then drag the mouse until you have drawn the box.

5. Release the left mouse button.

6. Click the selected area , , Zoom Tool Button, located among the ‘Selection Tool Buttons’.

7. The selected area will be displayed in the center of the drawing pane. If no selection has been made the selection zoom tool button will increase the display by one scale increment.

Viewing the whole System in the Drawing Pane

To view the whole of a pipework system click the, , Zoom Drawing to fit Screen button, , on the tool bar, to fit the system in the visible Drawing pane

Panning a System in the Drawing Pane The pan function in Pipe Flow Expert provides the ability to move an entire pipe system in the Drawing pane, without making any changes to the pipe system components, or to pan a pipe system to quickly view different areas of the system in the Drawing pane.

To move or pan a pipe system in the Drawing pane:

1. Click the, , Pan the drawing button on the tool bar.

2. When you click the Pan the drawing button, the hand symbol is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

3. Click and hold down the left mouse button anywhere in the Drawing pane.

4. Drag the pipe system to where you want to move it.

5. Release the left mouse button when you are done moving or panning the pipe system. The pan function can also be accessed by clicking in ‘white space’, when either the ‘Show mode’ or the ‘Move mode’ has been selected.


Finding a Pipe or a Node Finding a pipe or a node on a large system schematic is made easy by selection of the item from the drop down selection boxes on the Pipe Pane and the Node Pane. This allows a selection of a specific pipe or node and it will then be highlighted on the drawing.

If the drawing scale is too small to see the pipe or node location, the zoom button , , can be used to display the selected pipe or node in the visible drawing window at an increased scale.

Mirror View of the Pipe System The drawing menu items provide an option to produce a Mirror View (Left / Right) of the complete pipe system without making any changes to the pipe system components.

Where a system contains free text entries, the starting position of the free text is mirrored but the direction of the text is not changed (the user may have to re-position the text as necessary).

Information about applying the mirror feature to selected items within the system is available in Section: Group updates on the drawing.

Inverted View of the Pipe System The drawing menu items provide an option to produce an Inverted View (Up / Down) of the complete pipe system without making any changes to the pipe system components

Where a system contains free text entries the starting positions of the free text is inverted but multiple lines of text still progress downwards line after line (the user may have to re-position the text as necessary.

Information about applying the invert feature to selected items within the system is available in Section: Group Updates on the Drawing.


System Amendments and Group Updates

Making amendments to your system usually involves changing the diameter, length or material of a pipe or group of pipes. It may also involve changing the node elevations where the pipes are linked. Amendments can be made in a number of ways:

a. Use the Edit Grid to display, filter and edit the data for Pipes, Nodes, and other items.

b. Click on the pipe or node and update the entries shown on the Pipe Pane or the Node Pane.

c. Set the Default Pipe data, select a group of items to be amended, or select a collection of

individual items and then copy some or all of the Default Pipe attributes to the selected items.

Using the Edit Grid

1. Click the Edit Network Data tool button to display the Edit Grid.

2. Choose a tab to display data for Pipes, Tanks, End Pressures, Nodes, FCVs, PRVs, BPVs, Cv Values, Kv Values, Fixed Losses, Pumps (Fixed Flow), Pumps (Fixed Head) and Pumps (Curve).

3. Select the cell that contains the data you want to edit.

4. The Edit Grid can be over-typed and updated directly (changes are applied immediately).

Note: The changes will be applied immediately and the drawing will be updated. An Undo option is not available hence amendments cannot be cancelled; the original data must be re-entered.

Figure 72 The Edit Grid (in filter mode)

The Edit Grid Filter:


1. The Edit Grid can be ‘Filtered’ to only show rows that match certain specified criteria. For

example the data shown on the Pipe Tab can be filtered by: Pipe ID, Pipe Name, Nominal Size, Material/Sch., Diameter, Roughness or length.

2. The filtered data values can be updated on an individual basis or they can be amended as a group, in a single operation, by selecting an item to update from the drop down list, entering a value to ‘Set’, and clicking on the ‘Update Rows’ button.

Individual Item Viewing and Modifying

Using the Show Item Info button, , on the tool bar, you can view and/or modify the specific details about any component in a pipe system. Depending on the type of component you select, clicking a component in the Drawing either displays the component’s information in the Node or Pipe pane, or opens up the dialog specific to the selected component.

To view and modify an individual item:


2. When you click the Show Item Info button, SHOW is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

3. Click a component in the Drawing pane that you want to view and/or edit.

4. When you select a tank, join point, or demand pressure, its details are displayed, and can be edited in the Node pane.

5. When you select a demand flow, the Set Flow Demands dialog opens, and you can view and edit the demand flow values.

6. When you select a pipe, the pipe’s details are displayed, and can be edited in the Pipe pane. To view and edit a pipe’s material and/or size, click the Diam? or Material buttons in the Pipe pane to open the Pipe diameter data screen.

7. When you click a fitting symbol or a valve symbol , on a pipe the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen opens. You can view and edit all fittings on the pipe containing the fitting you selected in the Drawing pane. You can also select a pipe in the Drawing pane, and then

click the Add/Change Fittings button, , in the Pipe pane to open the Pipe fitting friction coefficients screen.

8. When you click a component symbol on a pipe, , the Set Component Pressure Loss dialog opens, and you can view and edit the component’s pressure loss values. You can also select a pipe in the Drawing pane, and then click the Add/Change Component Pressure Loss button, , in the Pipe pane to open the Set Component Pressure Loss dialog.

9. When you click a control valve symbol on a pipe, , the Control Valve Data screen opens, and you can view and edit the control valve type or values. You can also select a pipe

in the Drawing pane, and then click the Add/Change Control Valve button, , in the Pipe pane to open the Control Valve Data screen.


10. When you click a pump symbol on a pipe, , the Pump Data screen opens, and you can view and edit the pump’s properties. You can also select a pipe in the Drawing pane, and

then click the Add/Change Pump button, , in the Pipe pane to open the Pump Data screen.

Group Updates on the Drawing The attributes of a group of pipes or nodes can be amended in a single update operation.

The Selection tool button allows the user to select a group of items which are located within an area defined by a rectangle. While holding down the left mouse button, drag the mouse to create a rectangle around the item(s) you want to select. The selected items can then be amended using the following operations:

Cut, Copy, Paste, Mirror, Invert, Zoom in, Adjust Attributes (Pipes), Adjust Attributes (Nodes), & Delete.

When the ‘Adjust Attributes of Selected Pipes’ button is clicked, a screen showing the current ‘Default Pipe’ attributes and a list of selected pipes is displayed (selected pipes are shown as checked). The ‘Default Pipe’ data can now be amended as required and then the buttons in the middle of the screen can be used to copy items values to the group of selected pipes.

Figure 73 Pipe data Group Updates


When the ‘Adjust Attributes of Selected Nodes’ button is clicked, a similar screen to the one above is shown, except on the left hand side it shows Default Node values and on the right a list of selected nodes is displayed. Data values can be copied from the default node to the selected nodes using the ‘copy’ buttons in the middle of the screen.

The individual Selection tool button allows the user to select an adhoc group of pipes and nodes, on a one-by-one basis. This is often useful when the group of items to updated are positioned within different parts of the drawing, such that they cannot be selected inside a standard rectangle (without including other items that are not wanted)

Again the characteristics for these individually selected ‘groups’ of items can be updated in one operation by using the ‘Adjust Attributes of Selected Pipes’ and ‘Adjust Attributes of Selected Nodes’ buttons.

Moving Components in a System In Pipe Flow Expert, you can move sections of a pipe system by dragging a node or a group of components to another place in the drawing, and you can move individual components on a pipe to a different location along the same pipe. You can also cut, copy, and paste pipes and nodes to move pipes and nodes in the system.

Using the Drag and Move Items button, , on the tool bar, you can move a node, and all the components connected to the node, or you can move individual components on a pipe in the Drawing pane.

Using the Selection tool button, , on the tool bar, you can move nodes or groups of components in the Drawing pane.

To move system components using the Drag and Move Items button:

1. Click the Drag and Move Items button, , on the tool bar.

2. When you click the Drag and Move Items button, each of the pipe system’s components are highlighted in the Drawing pane. MOVE is displayed next to your mouse pointer when the pointer is in the Drawing pane.

3. Click the component you want to move and hold down the left mouse button in the Drawing pane.

4. Drag the component where you want to move it.

5. Release the left mouse button when you are done moving the component. When you move components using the Drag and Move Items button, the values for the moved components do not change. If you want to change the value of a moved component, such as pipe length, the value needs to be manually updated in Pipe Flow Expert.

To move system components using the Selection tool:




3. Draw a box around the node or group of components you want to move in the Drawing pane.



6. Click in the box and hold down the left mouse button, then drag the box to the new location in the Drawing pane. Moving the box automatically moves the node or group of components within the box.

7. Release the left mouse button and right-click when you are done moving the component. When you move components using the Selection tool button, the values for the components that are moved do not change. If you want to change the value of a moved component, such as pipe length, the value needs to be manually updated in Pipe Flow Expert.

Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Nodes & Pipes Nodes (tanks, demand pressures, or join points) and the connecting pipes can be cut, copied or pasted in the Drawing pane. A pipe cannot exist unless it is connected between two nodes. When you cut a node from a pipe system in the Drawing pane, any pipes that have one end connected to a selected node but which are not linked at the other end to another selected node (i.e. the pipe is not fully contained within the selection rectangle), will be permanently removed from the system (and the components on those deleted pipes will also be removed from the system). When you paste a group of objects on to the Drawing pane, these items will initially appear slightly offset from the position of the original copy operation. The group of objects will be contained in a selection rectangle, to allow the objects to be moved to a new position. Once the selected items have been positioned, click the right mouse button to complete the paste operation. If you try to paste a node over the top of an existing node or an existing pipe, the paste action will be disallowed.

NOTE: A cut, copy, or paste action in the Drawing pane cannot be undone.

To cut, copy, and paste nodes and pipes in the Drawing pane:



3. Draw a box around the pipes and nodes you want to cut or copy in the Drawing pane. To draw a box, click where you want to start the box in the Drawing pane and hold down the left mouse button, then drag the mouse until you have drawn the box and then release the left mouse button.

4. To cut the nodes and pipes, click the Cut button, , on the tool bar or select Edit | Cut Any pipes which have one end connected to a selected node but are not linked at the other end to another selected node, will be permanently removed from the system.


5. After clicking the Cut button or selecting Edit | Cut, a message asking if you are sure you wish to cut the nodes and all pipes that connect to these nodes will be displayed.

6. Click Yes.

7. You may wish to copy rather than cut a set of selected items. To copy the nodes and pipes,

click the Copy button, , on the toolbar or select Edit | Copy.

8. Click the Paste button, , on the tool bar or select Edit | Paste to paste the cut or copied nodes and pipes to the Drawing pane.

9. When you paste nodes and pipes to the Drawing pane, these items will be pasted slightly offset from the position of the original copy operation. The group of new objects will be contained in a selection rectangle.

10. Click in the box and hold down the left mouse button, then drag the objects to their new location in the Drawing pane.

11. Release the left mouse button, to allow the objects to locate on the drawing grid.

12. Click the right mouse button to complete the paste operation.

Copying Between Drawings

The Selection tool button, , allows a group of nodes and pipes to be copied, as described in the previous section. It is possible to use the group copy and the paste feature to transfer a group of nodes and pipes from one drawing to another drawing. Nodes and pipes on the current drawing are selected and copied. A new grid is chosen or different drawing is opened.

The Paste button, , can be used to place the copied nodes and pipes on to the new drawing

Opening Additional Systems Tabbed Design Sheets let you work on multiple systems simultaneously. Each tab operates independently, enabling instant switching between different systems, in both design mode and results mode, for easy comparison of models and calculation results.

• Tabbed Sheets work just like Tabs in an Internet Browser.

• Tabbed Sheets work in both Design View and Results Mode.

• Switch between different system models with a single click.


• Easy to design, view, and compare results across multiple models.

• Easy to copy sections of drawings between different system models.

• Easy to demonstrate and review results for altered designs

Rotating Selected Items

The Selection tool button, , allows a group of nodes and pipes to be selected, as described in the previous section. It is possible to use the options on the edit menu to rotate the selected group either 90 degrees clockwise or 90 degrees anticlockwise. The mirror or invert features can also be applied to the selected group.

The Mirror Selection button, , can be used to mirror the selected group.

The Invert Selection button, , can be used to invert the selected group. Pipe Flow Expert does not allow one node to be placed over the top of another node, or over the top of an un-related pipe. This restriction is applied to prevent confusion. When the rotated, or mirrored, or inverted group are added back to the drawing the action may be disallowed if the above conditions apply. The selected group will have to be re-positioned to allow the items to be ‘dropped’ back onto the drawing pane.

Moving a Pipe to link at a new position If a pipe has been drawn incorrectly between two nodes, it is possible to unlink the end of the pipe and enter the pipe drawing mode to allow the existing pipe to be connected at a new position. To unlink / move an existing pipe:

1. Select the pipe to be moved by clicking on it in the drawing pane.

2. Click the right mouse button to display the Pipe Sub-menu.

3. Choose the ‘Move / Unlink end of Pipe’ option.

4. The pipe drawing mode will be selected.

5. The ‘direction arrow’ end of the pipe will be unlinked to allow you to connect the pipe at a new

position. The ‘Move / Unlink end of Pipe’ option can also be performed when in ‘Add Pipes’ drawing mode, by ‘clicking’ on a pipe to first highlight it, then ‘clicking’ again on the highlighted pipe to ‘unlink’ it.


Using the Undo and Redo Functions When you add a single pipe or a single node in the Drawing pane, you can undo the add pipe or node action to remove the pipe or node from the Drawing pane. If you change your mind about an undo action, you can redo the pipe or node in the Drawing pane.

To undo an add pipe or node action in the Drawing pane, click the Undo button, , on the tool bar or select Edit | Undo.

To redo an undo action in the Drawing pane, click the Redo button, , on the tool bar or select Edit | Redo. NOTE: If you added new components, such as fittings or flow demands, to a pipe or node, and you then click the Undo button or select Edit | Undo, and then click the Redo button or select Edit | Redo, then the pipe or node will be re-added to the Drawing pane without the components. When you use the undo action for a pipe or node with components, any components that were not drawn as part of the default pipe are permanently removed from the pipe.

Deleting Components in a System Individual components or groups of components can be deleted from a pipe system in the Drawing pane. When you delete a node from a pipe system in the Drawing pane, all the pipes connected to the node, and the components on those pipes, are deleted from the system. When you delete an individual pipe, all the components on the pipe are also deleted. Nodes (tanks, demand pressures, or join points), individual pipes, and groups of components are

deleted from a pipe system using the Delete button, , on the tool bar. Other pipe system components are deleted on the dialog associated with that component. For example, fittings on a pipe are deleted from the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog.

NOTE: Deletions in the Drawing pane cannot be undone.

Deleting a Node or Pipe To delete a node or pipe from a pipe system:


2. Click the node or pipe you want to delete in the Drawing pane.

3. You can also select a node or pipe for deletion by using the Selection tool button, , on the tool bar.

4. Click the Delete button, , on the tool bar or select Edit | Delete.

5. If you are deleting a node, the message, Are you sure you wish to delete the current highlighted node and all pipes that connect to the highlighted node?, is displayed after clicking the Delete button or selecting Edit | Delete.


6. If you are deleting a pipe, the message, Are you sure you wish to delete the current

highlighted pipe?, is displayed after clicking the Delete button or selecting Edit | Delete.

7. Click Yes.

8. The selected node or pipe is deleted. When you delete a node, all pipes and components connected to the node are deleted. When you delete a pipe, all components on the pipe are deleted with the pipe.

Deleting a Group of Components To delete a group of components from a pipe system:



3. Draw a box around the group of components that you want to delete in the Drawing pane.



6. Click the Delete button, , on the tool bar or select Edit | Delete.

7. The message, Are you sure you wish to delete the selected nodes and all pipes that connect to these nodes?, is displayed after clicking the Delete button or selecting Edit | Delete.

8. Click Yes.

9. The selected nodes and all the pipes and their components that are connected to the nodes are deleted.

Deleting a Demand Flow To delete a demand flow from a pipe system:


2. Click the node containing the demand flow that you want to delete in the Drawing pane.

3. Click one of the Edit buttons in the Node pane to open the Set Demand Flow dialog.

4. If the In Flow field contains a value other than 0.000, type 0.

5. If the Out Flow field contains a value other than 0.000, type 0.


6. Click OK to save your changes and close the Set Demand Flow dialog.

7. The demand flow icon and value are removed from the selected node in the Drawing pane.

Deleting Fittings To delete a fitting from a pipe system:


2. Click the fitting symbol, , on the pipe containing the fitting that you want to delete in the Drawing pane.

3. Clicking the fitting symbol opens the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog with all the fittings on the pipe listed in the Fittings on section.

4. You can also select the pipe containing the fitting that you want to delete in the Drawing

pane, and then click the Add/Change Fittings button, , in the Pipe pane to open the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog.

5. Select the row containing the fitting that you want to delete in the Fittings on section.

6. Click the Delete button, , next to the row that shows the K value for the fitting, to delete the fitting(s) from the selected pipe.

7. Click the Save button in the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog to save your changes and close the Pipe fitting friction coefficients dialog.

8. If you deleted all the fittings on the pipe, the fittings symbol on the selected pipe is deleted in the Drawing pane.

Deleting a Component Pressure Loss To delete a component’s pressure loss from a pipe system:


2. Click the component pressure loss symbol, , on the pipe containing the component pressure loss that you want to delete in the Drawing pane.

3. Clicking the component pressure loss symbol opens the Set Component Pressure Loss dialog.

4. You can also select the pipe containing the component pressure loss that you want to delete in the Drawing pane, and then click the Add/Change Component Pressure Loss button,

, in the Pipe pane to open the Set Component Pressure Loss dialog.

5. If you want to save and reuse the component pressure loss data for other pipes in the pipe system or future pipe systems, be sure to click the Save To File button and save the


pressure loss data to a .pfco file before deleting the component pressure loss from the selected pipe.

6. Click the Delete button.

7. The message, Are you sure you wish to delete the component and its data from this pipe?, is displayed after clicking the Delete button.

8. Click Yes.

9. The component pressure loss icon and values are removed from the pipe in the Drawing pane.

Deleting a Control Valve To delete a control valve from a pipe system:


2. Click the flow control symbol, , on the pipe containing the flow control that you want to delete in the Drawing pane.

3. Clicking the control valve symbol opens the Control Valve Data dialog.

4. You can also select the pipe containing the control valve that you want to delete in the

Drawing pane, and then click the Add/Change Control Valve button, , in the Pipe pane to open the Control Valve Data dialog.


6. The control valve icon and value are removed from the pipe in the Drawing pane.

Deleting a Pump To delete a pump from a pipe system:


2. Click the pump symbol, , on the pipe containing the pump that you want to delete in the Drawing pane.

3. Clicking the pump symbol opens the Pump Data dialog.

4. You can also select the pipe containing the pump that you want to delete in the Drawing

pane, and then click the Add/Change Pump button, , in the Pipe pane to open the Pump Data dialog.

5. If you want to save and reuse the pump data for other pumps in the pipe system or future pipe systems, be sure to click the Save To File button and save the pump data to a .pfpm file before deleting the pump from the selected pipe.



7. The message, Are you sure you wish to delete the pump and all pump data from this pipe?, is displayed after clicking the Delete button.

8. Click Yes.

9. The pump icon and value are removed from the pipe in the Drawing pane.

Calculations and Results

Once you have finished constructing a pipe system, you can calculate and solve the system to determine whether the system is valid. If the system is valid, the calculated values for the system’s flows and pressures are displayed in the Drawing pane and the Result tables. The calculated values displayed in the Drawing pane are determined by the options selected on the Labelling and Units tab of the Configuration Options dialog. The Results tables contain all of the calculated values for the whole pipe system, including pipe data, fitting data, component data, pump data, fluid data and node data. When you calculate a pipe system, a log is generated and displayed in the Results Log dialog. If a pipe system cannot be solved, the log provides additional information and may offer some suggestions as to why the system cannot be solved. To calculate the balanced results for a pipe system in the Drawing pane, click the Calculate button. The ‘Include’ check boxes in the Pipe pane allow you to include or exclude the fittings, component pressure losses, control valves, and pumps when solving the system. The check boxes allow you to view and re-run the system calculations without having to delete and re-add the components to the system. Select an Include check box to include a component’s values in a system’s calculations. Clear an Include check box to exclude a component’s values from a system’s calculations.

Calculation Theory and Method of Solution 153

Automatic Checks and Updates Before a pipe system is solved, the software performs some automatic checking of the system data and allows users to accept various recommended updates to make the system information consistent. The software interface is intuitive and it provides easy access to amend the system data as required, however standalone changes to pipe diameters, pipe lengths and node elevations can sometimes create inconsistence’s in the design data. Three types of checks are performed before a system solution is calculated.

Where an Internal Diameter has been amended by over typing the data in the pipe pane or the edit grid the Outer Diameter, Wall Thickness & Internal Diameter may no longer be consistent with each other. The option to update Outer Diameters and Wall Thicknesses should normally be accepted. This will allow the diameter data to be made consistent and the nominal pipe size will then be recalculated. Fitting sizes will be checked and matched to the nominal pipe size.

If the nominal pipe size does not match some of the fitting sizes associated with the pipe, then the option to update the fitting sizes should normally be accepted. This will update the fitting sizes and the fitting ‘K’ values so that the fitting pressure losses will be calculated correctly.


Where pipe lengths are not sufficient to span the difference in node elevations, these pipes will be identified and the user will be asked to confirm an update for each pipe. The pipe length can automatically be set to the difference in start and end elevations of the pipe. The changes in pipe length will be noted in the results log when the system is solved. The user may wish to check that the lengths of these pipes are also sufficient to cover any additional length that may be required if the pipe is not vertical (a none vertical, sloped pipe, would need to have a length that was greater than just the change in elevation between its start and end node). Where the pipe direction is not vertical and the length has been set to less than the difference in elevation between its start node and end node, it will be necessary to amend each pipe length manually, in the pipe pane or edit grid.

Calculating and Solving a System

To calculate and solve a system: 1. Open the .pfe file for the pipe system you want to calculate in Pipe Flow Expert. 2. The pipe system is displayed in the Drawing pane. In order to calculate a system’s values,

the pipe system must be open in the Drawing pane. 3. Click the Calculate button on the tool bar. 4. The system results are calculated and the Results Log dialog is shown.


Figure 74 Result Log dialog

If the pipe system is solved, the message ‘The network was solved successfully’ is displayed in the Results Log dialog. If the pipe system is not solved, the log offers some suggestions as to why the system could not be solved, and the message ‘The network was not solved. See log details above.’ is displayed in the Results Log dialog. When this happens, review the log and click OK to return to the Drawing pane in design mode. Make the necessary changes to the system to resolve the design errors in the system, and click the Calculate button on the tool bar to recalculate the revised system. If the Results Log has been closed, it can be re-opened by clicking the Show Log button on the toolbar. To change back to Design Mode, close the Results Log and then click on the Re-Design button on the toolbar. To view the Results Drawing:

Click the View Results Drawing button on the results log to display the drawing with results.


Figure 75 Pipe Flow Expert interface in Results mode

The details for the last node or pipe selected with a mouse click will be displayed in the hint pane. Moving the cursor over an item on the drawing will allow the user to view the calculated results in a pop-up data pane. To view the Results Table:

Click the View Results Sheet button on the results log to open the Results Table.

Figure 76 Results Tables


When an item is highlighted in the results sheet table, the selected item is also highlighted on the drawing pane and data for the highlighted item is displayed in the Hint pane. If the results tables have been closed, click the Result Sheet button on the toolbar to reopen the Results Tables. To Create a PDF Report Document: Units and Labelling Note: First configure the labelling and units to be used, as described in the section ‘Configuring the System Results’. Click the Create PDF Report button to open the PDF report dialog.

Figure 77 PDF Report Options Dialog

1. Enter the Company Information.

2. Load a cover sheet image.

3. Select the Cover Sheet, Header Information and Page Information options.

4. Select the Report Data options.

5. Choose the Pipe Data, Node Data and Energy Data to be included.

6. Click the Create PDF Report button to generate a PDF results document.


Figure 78 PDF Report Pages

Configuring the System Results Once a pipe system is calculated and solved, the calculated results are displayed with the pipe system in the Drawing pane. The options selected on the Labelling tab of the Configuration Options dialog determine which result values are displayed in the Drawing pane. By default, the calculated flow and pressure values are displayed for each pipe in the system. You can also reconfigure the units for the pipe system results on the Units tab of the Configuration Options dialog. You can access the Units tab of the Configuration Options dialog by selecting

Specify Units from the Units menu, or clicking the Choose Units button, , on the toolbar, or clicking the Choose Units button in the Results dialog.

To configure the pipe system labelling for results:

1. Click the Choose Labelling button, , on the tool bar to open the Labelling tab of the Configuration Options screen.


Figure 79 Configuration Options dialog – Labelling tab

2. Click one of the labelling options in the Pipe Results, Fitting Results, Pump Results and Node Results sections to determine which of the pipe system’s calculation results are displayed in the Drawing pane.

3. Click OK to close the Configuration Options dialog and apply your changes to the results displayed in the Drawing pane.

To reconfigure the units used in a pipe system and its calculated results:

1. Click the Choose Units button, , in the Results dialog or on the tool bar, or select Specify Units from the Units menu to open the Units tab of the Configuration Options screen.


Figure 80 Configuration Options Screen – Units tab

2. Select or edit the applicable component units on the tab.

Do not click the Imperial or Metric option in the Change All Units section of the Units tab, unless you want to change the universal unit setting and reset all the values currently defined on the Units tab. NOTE: When you change the universal unit setting, it converts all unit values to the unit type selected, and all values on the Units tab of the Configuration Options screen are converted to the fields’ default values. For example, if you are changing the universal setting from imperial to metric, all values, including any imperial units selected on the Units tab of the Configuration Options screen, are converted to metric. All field values on the Units tab are also reset to their default metric value. Click OK to close the Configuration Options dialog and apply the unit configurations to the pipe system and its results.

Viewing the System Results After a pipe system is solved, you have the option of opening the Results Tables to view all the calculated results, or viewing the solved pipe system in the Drawing pane with specific results displayed with the pipe system. To view the solved system in the Drawing pane, click No in the Results Form dialog after the system is calculated and solved. To view the Results Tables, click the Results button on the tool bar. To view the log in the Results Log dialog, click the Show Log button. The Results Tables contain a series of tabs that display the calculated results for each component of the pipe system in a table. The tabs are organized by component type, except for the All Results tab.


The All Results tab displays all of the calculated results by component type. All values displayed in the Results Tables are read-only. To view a pipe system’s calculated results in the Results Tables:

1. After a pipe system has been calculated and solved, click the View Results Sheet button on the Results Log dialog to open the Results Tables or close the results log and click the Results Sheet button on the tool bar.

Figure 81 Results Tables – All Results tab

2. Click the tab(s) containing the data you want to view.

3. Click the Close button, , to close the Results Tables and return to the Drawing pane.

Saving the System Results The values displayed in the Results Tables can be saved to a Microsoft® Excel® .xlsx file. When you are saving from the Results Tables, only the values displayed on the currently selected tab are saved to the .xlsx file. To save all the result values, click the All Results tab before saving.

To save a pipe system’s results to an .xlsx file:

1. After a pipe system has been calculated and solved, click the View Results Sheet button

on the Results Log dialog to open the Results Tables or close the results log and click the Results Sheet button on the tool bar.

2. Click the tab containing the values you want to save.

3. Click the Save button, , or select File | Save to Excel to open the Save As dialog.


Figure 82 Save Results as Excel File dialog

4. Type a name for the file in the File Name field.

5. Select Pipe Flow Network (*xlsx) from the Save as type list.

6. Click Save to save the pipe system results from the selected tab.

Exporting the System Results The values displayed in the Results Tables can be exported directly into Microsoft Excel. When you are exporting to Microsoft Excel from the Results Tables, only the values displayed on the currently selected tab are exported. To export all the result values, click the All Results tab before exporting.

To export a pipe system’s results into a .xlsx file:

1. After a pipe system has been calculated and solved, click the View Results Sheet button on

the Results Log dialog to open the Results Tables or close the results log and click the Results Sheet button on the tool bar.

2. Click the tab containing the values you want to export.

3. Click the Export to Excel button, , or select File | Export to Excel.

4. Clicking the Export to Excel button or menu selection opens the pipe system results from the selected tab in a worksheet in Microsoft Excel.

If Microsoft Excel is not available the results can be copied to the Windows clipboard, so that the data can be pasted into other spreadsheet applications.


Figure 83 pipe system results in Microsoft Excel

Redesigning the System After a pipe system is solved, the pipe system is read-only in the Drawing pane. If you decide that you want to modify a solved pipe system, you can return to the Drawing pane in design mode by clicking the Re Design button on the toolbar.

If you want to retain the original solved pipe system and the calculated values for the system before you redesign the pipe system, be sure to save the pipe system and results before clicking the Re Design button.

When a pipe system cannot be solved, additional information is displayed in the Results Log and the message, ‘The network was not solved. See log details above.’, is shown. Clicking OK on the Results Log automatically returns you to the Drawing pane in design mode.

Amending the System Making amendments to your system usually involves changing the diameter, length or material of a pipe or group of pipes. It may also involve changing the node elevations where the pipes are linked. Amendments can be made in a number of ways: a. Use the Edit Grid to display, filter and edit the data for Pipes, Nodes, and other items. b. Click on the pipe or node and update the entries shown on the Pipe Pane or the Node Pane. c. Set the Default Pipe data, select a group of items to be amended, or select a collection of

individual items and then copy some or all of the Default Pipe attributes to the selected items These amendment options are described in the ‘System Amendments and Group Updates’ section of this document.


Create a PDF Report of the System Results When a system has been solved successfully a customized PDF report can be created. The report can contain a cover sheet with your logo, a scalable results drawing for high resolution printing and a selection of tabulated results data, which provides a detailed breakdown of the calculated results. Note: First configure the results drawing labelling and the results units to be used, as described in the section ‘Configuring the System Results’. To display the Create PDF Report options dialog choose one of these actions:

• Click the ‘Create PDF Report’ button on the Results Log (after solving a system) OR • Click the ‘Results PDF’ Tool Button in the tool bar at the top of the screen OR • Click the ‘Create PDF – Customized Report’ option from the File menu

Figure 84 Create PDF Report Options

Choose the options for the PDF Report by selecting and checking the appropriate items from the PDF Report Generator screen. The PDF report can include:

• A Cover Sheet including Company Logo, Title and Sub-Title. • Page Header Information including Company Name, Project Name and Engineer Reference • Page Information including page number


• Tabulated Results for Fluid Data • Tabulated Results for Pump Data • Tabulated Results for Pipe Data with up to 12 selected data items for each pipe • Tabulated Results for Node Data with up to 12 selected data items for each node • Tabulated Results for Energy Data • Results Log Summary (if option selected)

The company information, the cover sheet image, and all the other selected options can be saved for future use. Click the ‘Save Report Options’ button to display the ‘Save As’ dialog. Previously saved report options can be reloaded. Click the ‘Load Report Options’ button to display the ‘Open dialog.

Figure 85 PDF Results Report Pages

To Create a PDF Report Document:

1. Enter the Company Information. 2. Load a cover sheet image. 3. Select the Cover Sheet, Header Information and Page Information options. 4. Select the Report Data options. 5. Choose the Pipe Data, Node Data and Energy Data to be included. 6. Click the Create PDF Report button to generate a PDF results document

The generated PDF report file will be displayed in your PDF Adobe Reader program. The PDF file will be automatically stored in the user’s local temporary folder, however the user may wish to save a copy of this document to a different location using the ‘Save a Copy’ option from Adobe Reader file menu.


Calculation Theory and Method of Solution The Pipe Flow Expert program will allow you to draw a complex pipeline system and analyze the features of the system when flow is occurring. Pipe Flow Expert calculates the balanced steady flow and pressure conditions of the system. The reported results include the flow rates for each pipe, the fluid velocities for each pipe, Reynolds numbers, friction factors, friction pressure loss for each pipe, fittings, pressures losses, pressure at join points (nodes), HGL (Hydraulic grade line), pump operating points and more.

The pipeline system is modeled by drawing the join points and the connecting pipes on a drawing pane. Horizontal, vertical or sloping lines can be used to connect one node to another node.

The physical data about the system is then entered, and typically this includes:

• The internal size, internal roughness and length of each connecting pipe.

• The elevation of each node (join point).

• The In-flow and the Out-flow at each node (if applicable).

• The elevation, liquid level and surface pressure data for each tank.

• The performance data for each pump.

Fluid Flow States Fluids in motion are subjected to various resistance forces, which are due to friction. Friction may occur between the fluid and the pipe work, but friction also occurs within the fluid as sliding between adjacent layers of fluid takes place.

The friction within the fluid is due to the fluid's viscosity. When fluids have a high viscosity, the speed of flow tends to be low, and resistance to flow becomes almost totally dependent on the viscosity of the fluid. This condition is known as 'Laminar flow'.

Fluids which have a low viscosity are usually moved at higher velocities. The flow characteristics change, small eddy currents occur within the flow stream, and the friction between the pipe work and the fluid becomes a factor to be considered. This type of flow is known as 'Turbulent flow'.

Fluid Viscosity A fluid viscosity can be described by its Dynamic viscosity (sometimes called Absolute viscosity), or it’s Kinematic viscosity. These two expressions of viscosity are not the same, but are linked via the fluid density.

Kinematic viscosity = Dynamic viscosity / fluid density

Dynamic Viscosity

Water @ 20°C has a viscosity of 1.00 x 10 -3 Pa • s or 1.00 Centipoise Water @ 70°F has a viscosity of 2.04 x 10 -5 lb •s/ft²

Kinematic Viscosity Water @ 20°C has a viscosity of 1.004 x 10 -6 m /s² or 1.004000 Centistokes Water @ 70°F has a viscosity of 10.5900 x 10 -6 ft /s²

Pipe Flow Expert has a database of viscosities and densities for common fluids.


Reynolds Numbers Reynolds numbers (Re) describe the relationship between a fluid's velocity, the Internal pipe diameter and the fluid's Kinematic viscosity. Reynolds number = Fluid velocity x Internal pipe diameter / Kinematic viscosity Note : Kinematic viscosity (not Dynamic viscosity) must be used to calculate Reynolds numbers. It is generally accepted that the 'changeover' point between laminar flow and turbulent flow, in a circular pipe, occurs when the Reynolds number (Re) is approximately 2100.

i.e. Laminar flow occurs when the Re is less than 2100. Turbulent flow occurs when the Re is greater than 2100.

Friction Factors Many formulas have been developed to model the flow of fluids. The Hazen-Williams formula has been a popular method of estimating the head loss in piping systems for a number of years. However, this empirical formula will only give reasonable accuracy if the fluid is water at 60°F or similar. The Hazen-Williams formula is therefore not useful in analyzing a complex pipe system.

The Colebrook-White formula may be used with confidence to calculate an accurate friction factor applicable to the turbulent flow of fluids. The Colebrook-White formula is applicable over a whole range of fluid densities and viscosities, provided that the fluid flow is turbulent.

Colebrook-White Formula The Colebrook-White formula: 1/sqrt(f) = 1.14 – 2 log10 [e/D + 9.35/(Re x sqrt(f))] f = friction factor e = internal roughness of pipe D = internal diameter of pipe Re = Reynolds number Friction factors for turbulent flow calculated by Pipe Flow Expert are based on the Colebrook-White formula. The friction factor for Laminar flow is calculated from f = 64/Re

Friction Losses (resistance to flow) The resistance to fluid flow is usually expressed in fluid head. This is the height of a column of fluid which would exert enough pressure on the fluid at the bottom of the column to make the fluid flow within the system.

If the level of fluid (fluid head) is increased in a supply container, the volume of fluid entering the system from the supply container will increase due to the increase in pressure (force).


Darcy-Weisbach Formula Fluid head resistance can be calculated by using the Darcy-Weisbach formula.

h fluid = f (L/D) x (v ²/2g) f = friction factor L = length of pipe work D = inner diameter of pipe work v = velocity of fluid g = acceleration due to gravity

Fluid head loss calculated by Pipe Flow Expert is based on the Darcy-Weisbach formula.

Fitting Head Loss The fluid head resistance through various pipe work fittings can be calculated if the 'K' factor of the fitting is known. Many manufacturers of pipe work fittings and valves publish 'K' factors for their products.

’K’ Factor fitting head loss calculation Fluid head loss through fitting and valves can be calculated from:

h fluid = 'K' x v ² / 2g

'K' = manufacturer’s published 'K' factor for the fitting v = velocity of fluid g = acceleration due to gravity

In many systems where pipe lengths are relatively long, the effect of the fitting losses may be considered to be minor losses, and could be ignored during initial assessment. If a partially open valve is part of the design, the effect of the valve should always be considered as the valve loss may be large. Pipe Flow Expert has a database of valve and fittings ‘K’ factors and calculation wizards for:

• gradual enlargements • gradual contractions • sudden enlargements • sudden contractions • rounded entrances • long pipe bends

For further information on this subject please refer to ‘Flow of Fluids through valves, fittings and pipe’ - Crane Technical Paper No. 410


Calculate Total Pressure Loss The fluid head resistance can also be expressed a pressure. Metric units: bar = h fluid x p x g / 100000

h = head loss (m) p = fluid density (kg/m³) g = acceleration due to gravity (m/s ²)

Imperial units: psi = h fluid x SG x 2.311

h = head loss (ft) SG = specific gravity of the fluid

Energy and Hydraulic Grade Lines

The Energy Grade Line is a plot of the sum of the three terms of the Work-Energy equation or Bernoulli theorem: Fluid Head = The Kinetic energy + The Flow energy + The Potential energy.

EGL = v²/2g + P/y + elevation v = velocity g = acceleration due to gravity P = pressure y = fluid density

The Hydraulic Grade Line is a plot of the sum of two of the terms of the Bernoulli theorem: Fluid Head = The Flow energy + The Potential energy.

HGL = P/y + elevation P = pressure y = fluid density

Figure 86 Hydraulic Grade Line


Balanced Flow State Network analysis is based on two major principles: Mass flow into a joint in the network must be equal to mass flow out of the joint. Assuming that the fluid density does not change, the total flow rate entering the node must equal the total flow rate leaving the node.

Figure 87 Flow balance at a join point

The pressure drop in the pipes around a loop must be equal to zero. In a recirculation loop the pressure loss in each pipe must be the total of the fluid head energy being provided by the driving force (normally a pump). In a loop where the flows are in opposite directions, the total pressure loss in each pipe with a clockwise flow must equal the total pressure loss in each pipe with an anticlockwise flow.

Figure 88 Pressure balance around a loop

Loops, Nodes and Pipes To solve the unknowns in any pipeline network, a system of nonlinear equations must be developed to mathematically describe the pipeline network in terms of the flows and pressures that must balance at specific points within the system. These equations must be solved simultaneously in order to find a balanced solution. Loops within a pipeline network consist of a series of connected pipes that return to the start point (the node where the loop started), however pseudo loops can exist between a supply or discharge source, between two supply sources or between two discharge sources.


Figure 89 Pseudo Loop

A series of pressure equations describing the pressure loss in each loop must be generated. The same pipe may be included in many different loops. Where a loop includes a number of different fluid zones the elevation differences of the nodes and the density of the fluid in each pipe along the path in the loop must be used to establish the difference in pressures due to fluid density at the end points of the loop. This pressure difference is used together with the fluid surface pressure difference to establish the net pressure difference around the loop. A series of mass flow continuity equations must be generated for the mass flow rate balance at each node in the pipeline system.

Pipe Flow Expert will automatically analyze a system, identify all loops and pseudo-loops, generate the pressure equations throughout the network and remove redundant loop equations (those which are already fully described by combining other equations). It will also generate the mass flow balance equations for each node in a pipeline system.

Solving the unknown values Pipe Flow Expert generates initial estimates for the flow rate at each outlet point in the pipeline system. The Out-flows are used to estimate the flow rate in each pipe. The pressure losses within the system are calculated using friction factors obtained from the Colebrook-White equation, and the friction pressure loss for each pipe is obtained from the Darcy-Weisbach equation. The initial estimates are unlikely to give a balanced pressure result over the whole system and must be adjusted using a variation on the Newton method to converge to a final result where all of the flow rates and pressures within the system are balanced. Pipe Flow Expert defines the elements of the pipeline system in a series of non-linear matrix equations. Once an approximate solution has been obtained, the results are refined using a variation on the Newton method algorithm to ensure the results converge to a balanced flow and pressure result.


System Calculation Tolerances Pipe Flow Expert uses a two step approach to calculate a balance steady flow state for a system.

An initial approximate solution is obtained using Linear Theory methods and an iterative approach to adjust the flow rates until an approximate pressure balance is achieved. An alternative approach is to use estimates for the out-flows and to use these estimates to set an initial flow rate in each pipe, with the total in-flow to each join point matching the total out-flow from each join point. The initial flow estimates are unlikely to give a balanced pressure result over the whole system and must be further refined using an iterative approach to adjust the flow rates until an approximate pressure balance is achieved. Pipe Flow Expert defines the elements of the pipeline system in a series of matrix equations and uses the Newton method to adjust the estimates for the flow rate in each pipe. Once an approximate solution has been obtained, the results are refined using a variation of the Newton method to ensure convergence until a balanced pressure result is obtained. A flow balance tolerance and an approximate pressure balance tolerance are used to allow Pipe Flow Expert to find an approximate solution quickly. This approximate solution is then refined until the system is solved within the final pressure balance tolerance. The flow and pressure balance tolerances and the maximum number of iterations allowed, have been carefully chosen to provide the best overall performance in finding a solution. It is recommended that these values are not changed, as most systems will solve without adjustment to these parameters.

System Components The user is able to enter the flow rate and head loss information about a component which is to be included in the pipeline system. Pipe Flow Expert generates a performance curve for the component to allow the effect of the component to be modeled.

Cv and Kv Flow Coefficients Many manufactures of control valves choose to publish a Cv flow coefficient or a Kv flow coefficient to describe the flow / pressure loss characteristics of their control valves in a standardized manner. Cv Flow Coefficients: A Cv flow coefficient specifies the amount of water at 60°F (15.55 °C) in US gpm that will flow through a valve and produce a 1.0 psi pressure drop. Thus a Cv flow coefficient of 10 indicates that a 1.0 psi pressure drop will occur with a 10 US gpm of water throughput through the valve. The Cv flow coefficient of a control valve can be calculated from the flow rate and the pressure drop through the valve. For liquids other than water the ratio of the fluid density to the density of water must also be used in the calculation.


Where: Cv = flow coefficient Q = flow rate in US gpm ∆P = pressure loss in psi across the valve SG = the ratio of the fluid density to the density of water

With a known Cv flow coefficient the above formula can be re-arranged to calculate the pressure loss for a particular flow rate thus:

Where: Cv = flow coefficient Q = flow rate in US gpm ∆P = pressure loss in psi across the valve SG = the ratio of the fluid density to the density of water

The pressure loss through a fitting or valve may also be calculated from:

Where: h fluid = head of fluid in ft. K = flow coefficient of a valve or fitting V = fluid velocity entering the fitting in ft/s g = acceleration due to gravity in ft/sec2 also

Where: P = pressure in psi h fluid = head of fluid in ft. D = density of fluid in lbs/ft3

Thus a 1.0 psi pressure drop is equivalent to 2.31 ft head of water at Normal Temperature & Pressure (NTP) or 62.3 lbs/ft3.

When a pipe diameter is known it is possible to establish a flow velocity from the Cv flow coefficient in US gpm for a 1 psi pressure drop. Thus it is possible to calculate an equivalent fitting ‘K’ factor which will produce the same pressure loss as the control valve Cv rating.


Pipe Flow Expert uses the equivalent fitting ‘K’ factor method to model the flow and pressure loss through a control valve where a Cv flow coefficient is used to specify the control valve characteristics.

A change to the pipe diameter would result in a change to the value of the equivalent fitting ‘K’ factor. Pipe Flow Expert re-calculates the equivalent fitting ‘K’ factor for the current pipe diameter and the fluid density at the start of the solution calculation.

The calculation helper provided on the Cv component dialog uses the flow rate and pressure loss entered by the user, together with the current fluid density to calculate a Cv value to match the specified requirements.

Cv = 0.865 Kv (or more accurately Cv = 0.86497767 Kv)

Kv Flow Coefficients:

A Kv flow coefficient specifies the amount of water at 20°C (68 °F) in m3/hour that will flow through a valve and produce a 1.0 bar pressure drop. Thus a Kv flow coefficient of 10 indicates that a 1.0 bar pressure drop will occur with a 10 m3/hour of water throughput through the valve.

The Kv flow coefficient of a control valve can be calculated from the flow rate and the pressure drop through the valve. The density of the liquid in kg/m3 must also be used in the calculation.

Where: Kv = flow coefficient Q = flow rate in m3/hr ∆P = pressure loss in bar across the valve D = the density of the fluid in kg/m3 1000 = the density of water in kg/m3

The usual arrangement of the formula for calculation of Kv is shown above. It can be seen that this formula is similar to the one which is used for calculation of Cv values.

With a known Kv flow coefficient, the above formula can be re-arranged to calculate the pressure loss for a particular flow rate thus:

Where: Kv = flow coefficient Q = flow rate in m3/hr ∆P = pressure loss in bar across the valve D = the density of the fluid in kg/m3 1000 = the density of water in kg/m3

The pressure loss through a fitting or valve may also be calculated from:


Where: h fluid = head of fluid in meters. K = flow coefficient of a valve or fitting V = fluid velocity entering the fitting in m/s g = acceleration due to gravity in meters/sec2 also

Where: P = pressure in bar h fluid = head of fluid in meters D = density of fluid in kg/m3 g = acceleration due to gravity in meters/sec2

When a pipe diameter is known it is possible to establish a flow velocity from the Kv flow coefficient in m3/hr for a 1 bar pressure drop. Thus it is possible to calculate an equivalent fitting ‘K’ factor which will produce the same pressure loss as the control valve Kv rating.

Pipe Flow Expert uses the equivalent fitting ‘K’ factor method to model the flow and pressure loss through a control valve where a Kv flow coefficient is used to specify the control valve characteristics.

A change to the pipe diameter would result in a change the matching equivalent fitting ‘K’ factor. Pipe Flow Expert re-calculates the equivalent fitting ‘K’ factor for the current pipe diameter and the fluid density at the start of the solution calculation.

The calculation helper provided on the Kv component dialog uses the flow rate and pressure loss entered by the user, together with the current fluid density to calculate a Kv value to match the specified requirements.

1.000 Kv = 1.156 Cv

The user should be aware that the Cv or Kv flow coefficient specifies the flow rate of water for a particular pressure loss.

When the fluid density is greater or less than water, a different flow rate will be required to produce a 1.00 psi or a 1 bar pressure loss through the valve.

CAUTIONS:

Choked Flow: If the fluid is a gas and the pressure drop exceeds 50% of the inlet pressure to the valve, the flow will become choked and it will not be possible achieve the calculated flow rate.

Pipe Flow Expert does not model changes in the gas characteristics due to pressure or temperature changes. To correctly model the pressure drop for the entered Cv or Kv value the density of the gas used in the calculation must be the density of the gas at the outlet of the valve/component.


In effect this means that the fluid data for the fluid zone associated with the control valve must be defined for the approximate pressure condition at the outlet of the valve/component. The pressure drop for the gas flow rate through the valve, based on the entered Cv or Kv flow coefficient and the fluid zone density in the pipe will be calculated. The calculated pressure drop accounts for the effect of the expansion of the gas through the valve since using the approximate fluid density of the gas at the valve outlet (as specified in the fluid zone associated with the pipe) during calculation of the solution, caters for this characteristic. If the fluid zone associated with the control valve does not represent the pressure condition at the outlet of the valve/component, it may be necessary to use an adjusted Cv (or Kv) value for valve selection to take in to account the effect of the gas expansion. The adjusted Cv (or Kv) value should be based on the Cv or Kv formula for sub critical gas pressure drop. A simplified version of the Cv formula for sub critical gas pressure drop is shown below:

Where: Cv = flow coefficient SCFH = flow rate in ft3/hr (NTP) Dn = the gas density in lbs/ft3 at 0.00 psig oF = gas temperature ∆p = pressure loss in psi absolute po = valve outlet pressure in psi absolute

A simplified version of the Kv formula for sub critical gas pressure drop is shown below:

Where: Kv = flow coefficient Q = flow rate in m3/hr (NTP) Dn = the gas density in kg/m3 at 0.00 barg oC = gas temperature ∆p = pressure loss in bar absolute po = valve outlet pressure in bar absolute

Please refer to an appropriate text book for a more detailed formula to take account of piping geometry or gas compressibility, should this be necessary.


Control valve selection:

The Cv (or Kv) flow coefficient of a control valve is usually stated for the fully open flow condition. The Cv (or Kv) flow coefficient will be less when the valve is partly closed.

In an actual system it is important to select a control valve which has an appropriate Cv (or Kv) flow coefficient for the actual valve position that will be used. A control valve that is too small or too large will never be able to provide the correct control in a system.

Most control valve manufactures recommend that you should select a valve where the required Cv (or Kv) value falls between 20% - 80% of the port opening. Some control valve manufactures recommend that an allowance of 30% should be added to the calculated Cv (or Kv) flow coefficient to obtain the minimum full flow Cv (or Kv) flow coefficient rating which the selected valve should have (when fully open).

Please check your control valve selection with the control valve manufacturer.

Flow Control Valves Flow Control Valves allow the user to set a flow rate in a particular pipe. Pipe Flow Expert removes the pipe from the system and sets an Out-flow demand at the ‘From node’ and an equal In-flow demand at the ‘To node’. Thus the pipe is replaced by these flow demands while the system is being solved.

No other pipe which connects to a pipe with a Flow Control Valve fitted can contain a control valve (FCV, PRV or BPV).

Figure 90 Flow Control Valve replacement

The pressure difference between the ‘From node’ and the ‘To node’ must equal the pressure loss introduced by the flow control valve plus the pressure loss that the flow in the pipe will produce, plus the pressure loss that any other component on the pipe produces. The system balance will be maintained when the pipe is reinstated along with the pressure loss introduced by the flow control valve. If the pressure difference between the ‘From node’ and the ‘To node’ is not great enough then the pressure loss in the pipe and the flow control valve pressure loss cannot be set. A warning will be displayed that the pressure in the pipe is not sufficient to deliver the set flow.


Pressure Reducing Valves Pressure Reducing Valves allow the user to set a pressure at the node downstream of the valve (i.e. at the end of the pipe). The pressure reducing valve (PRV) introduces an additional pressure loss in the pipe to control the pressure at the node downstream of the valve to the value specified by the user.

A pipe with a Pressure Reducing Valve fitted cannot have a tank or pressure demand set on either end. No other pipe which connects to a pipe with a Pressure Reducing Valve fitted can contain a control valve (FCV, PRV or BPV).

Pipe Flow Expert removes the pipe from the system and sets the pressure at the downstream node (N2) by replacing it with an appropriately defined tank. The tank elevation is set to equal the node elevation, the liquid level is set to zero and the fluid surface pressure is set to the pressure reducing valve setting. At the upstream node, an out-flow demand is then set equal to the flow from N2. Hence the pipe is replaced by a tank at the downstream node and an out-flow at the upstream node while the system is being solved. The outflow at the upstream node must equal the flow rate from the downstream node that is now represented by the tank.

Figure 91 Pressure Reducing Valve replacement

The pressure difference between the upstream node P1 and the downstream node P2 must equal the pressure loss through the pipe, fittings and any components on the pipe plus the pressure loss introduced by the PRV. The pressure balance is then maintained after the system is solved, when the pipe is reinstated along with the pressure loss introduced by the pressure reducing valve. MODES OF OPERATION: A PRV can operate under three different conditions: (1) regulating, (2) fully closed, and (3) fully open. How the valve operates depends on the defined set pressure value for the valve. The fully open and fully closed positions represent the extreme operations of the valve. Each of the valve positions is described below:

(1) Regulating The valve maintains the downstream pressure to the set value by introducing a

pressure loss across the valve, thus throttling the flow rate through the PRV. (2) Fully Closed This mode of operation occurs if the valve’s set pressure is less than the

pressure downstream of the valve for the case where the valve is closed. When this occurs in an actual pipe system, the flow through the PRV reverses and the PRV acts as a check valve, closing the pipe. In PipeFlow Expert, this method of operation is detected and reported but the system is not then solved for this scenario. The user must decide if this method of operation is what they intended and if so then they can close the pipe and continue to solve the system.

(3) Fully Open This mode of operation occurs if the valve’s set pressure is greater than the

pressure upstream of the valve for the case where the valve is fully open. When this occurs in an actual pipe system, the PRV maintains a fully open position and it has no effect on the flow conditions (except to add a frictional loss through


the valve). In PipeFlow Expert, this method of operation is detected and reported. But the system is not solved because the differential pressure across the valve would have to be negative, i.e. the valve would be acting like a pump rather than a pressure control.

Pipe Flow Expert will only solve a system when the PRV is operating in Regulating mode.

AVOIDING PRV OPERATION PROBLEMS: In general, PRV operation problems can be avoided by finding the valve's pressure regulating range and specifying the valve’s set pressure to a value within this range, such that the mode of operation is ‘Regulating’. First, solve the system without the PRV control and note the pressure at the node downstream of the pipe which previously contained the PRV. This is the maximum pressure the PRV can be set to (i.e. it is equivalent to finding the valve’s inlet pressure for the case where the valve is fully open). Secondly, solve the system after closing the pipe that contains the PRV and note the pressure at the node downstream of the closed pipe. This is the minimum pressure the PRV can be set to (i.e. it is equivalent to finding the pressure downstream of the valve for the case where the valve is fully closed).

Back Pressure Valves Back Pressure Valves allow the user to set a pressure at a node upstream of the valve (i.e. at the start of the pipe). The back pressure valve (BPV) introduces an additional pressure loss in the pipe to control the pressure at the node upstream of valve to the value specified by the user.

A pipe with a Back Pressure Valve fitted cannot have a tank or pressure demand set on either end. No other pipe which connects to a pipe with a Back Pressure Valve fitted can contain a control valve (FCV, PRV or BPV).

Pipe Flow Expert removes the pipe from the system and sets the pressure at the upstream node (N1) by replacing it with an appropriately defined tank. The tank elevation is set to equal the node elevation, the liquid level is set to zero and the fluid surface pressure is set to the back pressure valve setting. . At the downstream node, an in-flow demand is then set equal to the flow into the upstream node N1. Hence the pipe is replaced by a tank at the upstream node and an in-flow at the downstream node while the system is being solved. The in-flow at the downstream node must equal the flow rate into the upstream node that is now represented by a pressurized tank.

Figure 92 Back Pressure Valve replacement

The pressure difference between the upstream node P1 and the downstream node P2 must equal the pressure loss through the pipe, fittings and any components on the pipe plus the pressure loss introduced by the BPV. The pressure balance is then maintained after the system is solved, when the pipe is reinstated along with the pressure loss introduced by the pressure reducing valve.


MODES OF OPERATION: A BPV can operate under three different conditions: (1) regulating, (2) fully closed, and (3) fully open. How the valve operates depends on the defined set pressure value for the valve. The fully open and fully closed positions represent the extreme operations of the valve. Each of the valve positions is described below:

(1) Regulating The valve maintains the upstream pressure to the set value by introducing a

pressure loss across the valve, thus reducing the flow rate through the BPV. (2) Fully Closed This mode of operation occurs if the valve’s set pressure is greater than the

pressure upstream of the valve for the case where the valve is closed. When this occurs in an actual pipe system, the flow through the BPV reverses and the BPV acts as a check valve, closing the pipe. In PipeFlow Expert, this method of operation is detected and reported but the system is not then solved for this scenario. The user must decide if this method of operation is what they intended and if so then they can close the pipe and continue to solve the system.

(3) Fully Open This mode of operation occurs if the valve’s set pressure is less than the

pressure downstream of the valve for the case where the valve is fully open. When this occurs in an actual pipe system, the BPV maintains a fully open position and it has no effect on the flow conditions (except to add a frictional loss through the valve). In PipeFlow Expert, this method of operation is detected and reported but the system is not solved because the differential pressure across the valve would have to be negative, i.e. the valve would be acting like a pump rather than a pressure control.

Pipe Flow Expert will only solve a system when the BPV is operating in Regulating mode.

AVOIDING BPV OPERATION PROBLEMS: In general, BPV operation problems can be avoided by finding the valve's pressure regulating range and specifying the valve’s set pressure to a value within this range, such that the mode of operation is ‘Regulating’. First, solve the system without the BPV control and note the pressure at the node upstream of the pipe which previously contained the BPV. This is the minimum pressure the BPV can be set to (i.e. it is equivalent to finding the pressure at the valve outlet for the case where the valve is fully open). Secondly, solve the system after closing the pipe that contains the BPV and note the pressure at the node upstream of the closed pipe. This is the maximum pressure the BPV can be set to (i.e. it is equivalent to finding the pressure at the valve inlet for the case where the valve is fully closed).

Pumps (with Flow versus Head Curve) The user is able to enter flow rate and head loss information about a pump which is to be used in the pipeline system. Pipe Flow Expert generates a performance curve for the pump to allow the pump performance to be modeled as part of the pipeline system.

Fixed Flow Rate Pumps The user is able to elect to enter a fixed flow rate for a pump. This situation may occur when the natural flow distribution to different parts of the network has to be determined, or when the system has a variable speed pump that has been set to produce a set flow rate. The Fixed Flow Rate Pump is modeled in a similar manner to the Flow Control Valve described above. Pipe Flow Expert removes the pipe on which the pump is mounted and sets an Out-flow demand at the ‘From node’


and an equal In-flow demand at the ‘To node’. The pipe and the pump are replaced by these flow demands while the system is being solved.

Figure 93 Fixed Flow Rate Pump replacement

Since the head pressure provided by the pump is unknown, the system balance cannot be ‘tuned’ by iterating along the pump performance curve. For this reason it is not possible to include pressure control devices such as flow control valves on all outlet paths through the system when a fixed flow rate pump has been selected (this would result in an over-controlled system).

Fixed Head / Pressure Rise Pumps The user is able to elect to enter a fixed head or pressure rise for a pump. This situation may be useful when trying to estimate the pump head required to produce the flow distribution to different parts of the network, where a pump flow versus head curve has not be established. The flow rates would be set by flow control valves on the outlet legs. The minimum pump head would be determined by subtracting the smallest pressure introduced by the flow control valves from the fixed head supplied by the pump.

Net Positive Suction Head available Pipe Flow Expert is able to calculate the pressure available at a pump inlet. This pressure will change if the mounting position of the pump along a pipe is changed. The vapor pressure of the fluid being pumped is subtracted from the pump inlet pressure to obtain the Net Positive Suction Head available. The NPSHa must be higher than the pump manufacturer’s NPSHr (Net Positive Suction Head requirement for the flow rate) in order to prevent gas bubbles forming in the fluid.

Two Phase Flow Pipe Flow Expert is not able to model two phase flow, such as gas/liquid mixtures. When two different fluids are mixed together it is possible that two-phase flow may occur at some point in a system. Pipe Flow Expert does not calculate the pressure drop for two-phase flow. Two-phase flow can produce an extremely high pressure drop many times greater than the pressure drop of either individual fluid. The user should make due allowance for the two-phase flow pressure drop by using a component to add an appropriate additional pressure loss.

Slurries Slurries which have a constant density and a constant viscosity are able to be modeled, provided the minimum velocity to keep the solids in suspension is maintained throughout the pipeline system. The density and viscosity of the slurry mixture must be entered as the fluid data.


Working with Compressible Fluids

Pipe Flow Expert has been designed for the analysis of pipeline systems using the Darcy-Weisbach equation to calculate friction loss. The Darcy-Weisbach equation is normally applicable to incompressible Newtonian fluids, since the density of these fluids can be considered to be constant. The system calculations do not take account of any compression or expansion of the fluid that may occur due to pressure changes in the fluid and therefore the results obtained for compressible fluids may only be acceptable under certain conditions. It is however common practice for the Darcy-Weisbach equation to be used to calculate the friction losses for compressible fluids within a pipeline system, if certain constraints about the system being modeled are understood. It is up to the pipe systems engineer to be familiar with good engineering practice and to use their own judgment about the accuracy of results for a system that contains a compressible fluid.

Considerations When Using Compressible Fluids

The Pipe Flow Expert software is intended for general use with either liquids or gases (subject to certain criteria for gas systems). Pipe Flow Expert uses the Colebrook-White equation to calculate friction factors. Pipe Flow Expert uses the Darcy-Weisbach equation to calculate friction loss in a pipe. These equations assume a constant fluid density & viscosity and they provide a very accurate solution when working with none compressible fluids (liquids). When using the software to model gas systems there are certain criteria that the model must operate within to ensure the solution is of acceptable accuracy. Changes in pressure and temperature will affect the gas density and viscosity. These property changes affect the actual pressure drop and are not automatically accounted for in the Darcy-Weisbach equation, therefore some limitations must be applied to ensure that the calculated results are within an acceptable accuracy. Generally systems which involve gases fall into two categories: Low pressure loss systems: Where the pressure loss is less than 10% of the highest absolute pressure in the system, if the pressure drop is calculated using the entering fluid density then good reliability of the results can be expected. High pressure loss systems: Where the pressure loss is more than 10% but less than 40% of the highest absolute pressure in the system, if the pressure drop is calculated using the average fluid density then good reliability of the results can be expected.

Working with Compressible Fluids 183

Where a system has a total pressure loss which exceeds 40% of the highest absolute pressure in the system, it is necessary to model the system using different fluid zones. Up to 20 fluid zones can be used in a Pipe Flow Expert model. Using Fluid Zones: Where a system has been split into a number of separate fluid zones, the fluid density and the fluid viscosity for each fluid zone should be set independently. The density of each fluid zone in the system must reflect the average density of the compressed fluid condition in that fluid zone. When a system is solved if the fluid density is not within 5% of the average fluid density for a particular zone, a warning will be issued in the results log. Suggestions to Update Fluid Zone Data to have a particular density based on the average pressure within the fluid zone will be issued in the results log. General Suggestions: For systems that contain compressible fluids the following should be noted The mass flow rates entering the system and the mass flow rates leaving the system must be balanced. Normally In-Flow or Out-Flow values are entered using a mass flow rate units, such as lb/sec, lb/min, lb/hour, kg/sec, kg/min or kg/hour, for a system which involve compressible fluids. Where volumetric In-Flow rates entering the system have to be used these values must be entered as the ‘actual’ flow rate of the fluid for that particular fluid zone applicable to the pipe from which the fluid will enter, i.e. the flow rate of the fluid must be based on the density of the fluid zone (and not on the uncompressed volumetric flow rate of the fluid). Where volumetric Out-Flow rates leaving the system have to be used these values must be entered as the ‘actual’ flow rate of the fluid for that particular fluid zone applicable to the pipe from which the fluid will leave, i.e. the flow rate of the fluid must be based on the density of the fluid zone (and not on the uncompressed volumetric flow rate of the fluid). The pressure at all In-Flow points for an individual fluid zone must be the same to the degree that the pressure does not change the volume and density of the fluid zone significantly.

Devices which change the volume/density of the fluid should not be included as part of the system analysis. Pipe Flow Expert uses a constant value for the compressible fluid density throughout each individual fluid zone in the pipeline system. Where volumetric flow rates are used to specify the In-Flows and Out-Flows to the system, the individual density for each fluid zone is used to convert from volumetric flow rate units to the mass flow rate units used internally by Pipe Flow Expert. The calculations are performed using the mass flow rates to achieve mass flow rate continuity and balance within the pipeline system. The results are then converted back to the appropriate volumetric units for each pipe, based on the fluid zone data associated with the pipe. The effects of pressure changes and temperature changes on the fluid density are not modeled.

Note 1: The Fluid density at the compressed fluid condition can be calculated using the normal density of the compressible fluid and the fluid pressure. Compressed fluid density = Normal fluid density x (Fluid pressure + Atmospheric. pressure) /Atmospheric pressure


Example: If a volume of 10 m³ of air at normal temperature and pressure is compressed to 6 bar g The Fluid density would be: 1.2047 x (6.000 + 1.01325) / 1.01325 = 8.3384 kg/m³

Note 2: The Actual flow rate of the fluid at the compressed fluid condition can be calculated using the uncompressed volume of the fluid and the fluid pressure.

Actual flow rate =

(Uncompressed fluid volume x Atmospheric pressure) / (Fluid pressure + Atmospheric pressure)

Example: If a flow of 10 m³/s of air at normal temperature and pressure is compressed to 6 bar g the Actual flow rate would be: 10 x 1.01325 / (6.000 +1.01325) = 1.445 m³/s

Glossary 185

Glossary

Term Description Absolute pressure Pressure measured with respect to zero pressure.

Atmosphere A standard atmospheric pressure of 1.01325 bar a or 14.696 psi a. Centipoise Absolute viscosity of a fluid expressed in Pa • s x 10-3

Centistokes Kinematic viscosity of a fluid expressed in m²/s x 10-6

Note: Pipe Flow Expert requires fluid viscosity to be entered in Centipoise.

Colebrook-White equation

An equation used to calculate accurate friction factors from the internal diameter and internal roughness of a pipe and the Reynolds number for the flow conditions.

Darcy-Weisbach equation

An equation used to calculate the frictional head loss due to fluid flow from the friction factor, the length and diameter of the pipe, the velocity of the fluid and the gravitational constant.

Demand flow The In-Flow entering the system or the Out-Flow leaving the system. Demand pressure The pressure at a point of exit from the system.

Discharge Out-Flow leaving the system. Dynamic viscosity The absolute viscosity of a fluid.

Friction factor A factor to be used in the Darcy-Weisbach equation. Either calculated from the Colebrook-White equation or read from the Moody diagram.

Elevation The height above sea level of a node or tank. End pressure The pressure at a point where fluid leaves the system. Fixed pressure A static pressure loss which is independent of the flow rate. Fluid head The resistance to flow expressed in height of fluid as a motive force. Gage pressure Pressure measured with respect to atmospheric pressure. Hydraulic grade line

The pressure at a point in the system expressed in height of fluid plus the elevation above sea level of the node or the tank.

in Hg Height of a column of mercury in a barometer expressed in inches. K value Coefficient of frictional loss through valve or pipe fittings. Kinematic viscosity The absolute viscosity of a fluid divided by the fluid density.

Moody diagram A graphical representation of the relationship between Reynolds number, relative roughness and Friction factor.

mm Hg Height of a column of mercury in a barometer expressed in millimeters.

NPSHa Net Positive Such Head available. NPSHr Net Positive Such Head requirement.

Pressure loss The friction loss due to fluid flow expressed in fluid head or Gage pressure.

Pump head The motive force developed by a pump expressed in height of fluid. (Pump performance graphs usually show pump head for water).

Relative roughness

A dimensionless number expressing the internal roughness of a pipe divided by the internal diameter of a pipe.

Reynolds number

A dimensionless number derived from the fluid velocity, the internal diameter of the pipe and the Kinematic viscosity of the fluid.

Supply In-Flow entering the system. Vapor pressure The absolute pressure at which a liquid will start to evaporate.

Viscosity A measure of a fluid‘s resistance to flow. See absolute viscosity and Kinematic viscosity.


Index

Adding Text Items, 136 Adding Text to the Drawing, 136 Automatic Checks and Updates, 153

back pressure valves, 181

adding, 112 understanding, 112

balanced flow state, 172 BPV

adding, 109

Calculating and Solving calculating, 154

calculating pipe system results, 152 calculation theory, 168 Change attributes of more than one node, 77 Change attributes of more than one pipe, 75 Change the system view, 64 Changing the fluid Density and Viscosity, 81 choosing item labeling, 69 choosing pipe drawing defaults, 71 choosing system units, 70 Choosing units, 68 Colebrook-White Formula, 169 Component Pressure Loss, 43 component pressure losses

deleting, 150 more than one on a pipe, 103

components adding, 103 adding, 103 pressure loss, 103 understanding, 103

Compressed fluid condition Actual flow rate, 187 fluid density, 186

compressible fluids, 185 considerations, 185

computer minimum requirements, 12 Configuration Options

Labelling Tab, 49 Units Tab, 51

Configuration Options Calculations Tab, 57 Configuration Options Pipe Default Values Tab,

53 Configuration Options Screen, 49 configuring

calculation parameters, 79 results, 152, 158

Control Valve Data, 44 control valves

deleting, 151 Copying between drawing, 146 Create a PDF Report, 165

creating pipe systems, 62

Cv flow coefficient, 174 Cv Flow Coefficient, 43 Cv Flow Coefficients, 106 Cv Value, 174 Cv Values, 106

Darcy-Weisbach Formula, 170 Daxesoft Ltd.

contacting, 15 Defining Fluid Zones, 81 demand flows

adding, 132 deleting, 149 understanding, 132

demand in-flows adding, 132

demand out-flows adding, 132

demand pressures adding, 134 deleting, 148 understanding, 134

Documentation Menu, 24 Drawing Menu, 22 Drawing pane, 47

cutting, copying, and pasting nodes, 145 inverted view, 140 mirror view, 140 moving components, 144 panning pipe system, 139 undo and redo functions, 148 view whole of the pipe system, 139 zoom in, 138 zoom out, 138

Edit Menu, 19 end pressure. See demand flows, See demand

flows End Pressure Data, 32

FCV

adding, 109 File Menu, 17 fitting head loss, 170 fittings

adding, 97 adding to the database, 99 deleting, 150

Fixed flow rate pump Limited application, 116

flow control valves, 179 adding, 110 understanding, 110

Index 187

Flow Demands, 34 fluid

adding to the database, 84 defining for a fluid zone, 83 viscosity, 168

fluid flow states, 168 Fluid Menu, 20 Fluid Zones, 81 fluids compressible

working with, 185 friction factors, 169 Friction Losses, 169

Gas data

adding to the database, 85 group updates on the drawing, 143

Help Menu, 25 hydraulic grade line

energy grade line, 171

Interface and Menus, 16 Isometric Mode Toggle, 64 Isometric System Options, 63

Join Point Data, 33 join points

adding, 88 deleting, 148

K factor fitting head loss calculation, 170 Keyboard Shortcuts, 30 Kv flow coefficient, 174 Kv Flow Coefficient, 43 Kv Flow Coefficients, 106 Kv Value, 174 Kv Values, 106

License Menu, 23 loops nodes pipes, 173

Menu Bar, 16 Microsoft Excel, 162 minimum computer requirements, 12 Moving a pipe to link at a new position, 147

net positive suction head, 183 New pipe system

creating, 62, 63 Node Pane, 30 Node Types, 30 Node Updates Tab, 55 nodes

adding, 86, 88 cutting, copying, and pasting, 145 deleting, 148

Opening additional systems, 146

PDF Report of System Results, 165 Pipe

Finding a pipe or node, 140 Pipe Diameter Data, 39 Pipe diameter data dialog, 53, 71 Pipe Features, 35 Pipe Fittings Database, 41 Pipe Flow Expert

about, 11 Pipe Material Data, 37 Pipe Pane, 35 pipe system

adding a Fixed Flow Rate pump, 115 adding a Fixed Head / Pressure Rise pump,

117 adding a fixed speed pump curve, 118 adding a pump, 114 adding back pressure valves, 112 adding components, 103 adding components, 103 adding control valves, 109 adding demand flows, 132 adding demand pressures, 134 adding fittings and valves, 97 adding flow controls, 110 adding join points, 88 adding pipes, 90 adding pressure Reducing Valves, 111 adding tanks, 86 calculating, 152 Components with Cv or Kv values, 106 configuring results, 158 defining fluid for a fluid zone, 83 deleting components, 148 Emailing a screen image, 67 exporting results, 162 inverted view, 140 mirror view, 140 modifying, 138 moving components, 144 panning, 139 pipes, 90 printing, 65 redesigning, 163 saving, 64 Saving a screen image, 67 saving as an enhanced metafile, 67 saving results, 161 sending via e-mail, 65 tanks, 86 view whole of the pipe sytem, 139 viewing, 138 viewing results, 160

Pipe System deleting a group of items, 149

pipe systems creating, 62

PipeFlow.com contacting, 15


pipes adding, 90 adding a pipe, 90 adding materials to the database, 93 adding sizes to the database, 93 closing a pipe, 94 deleting, 148 Preventing backflow in a pipe, 96 reversing pipe flow, 94 Use as default pipe feature, 96 Using the pipe sub-menu while drawing, 95

pressure reducing valves, 180 adding, 111 understanding, 111

printing pipe systems, 65

Properties of Mixed Fluids, 82 PRV

adding, 109

Pump Data, 45 pumps

adding, 114 adding Fixed Flow Rate, 115 adding Fixed Head Pump, 117 adding Fixed Speed Pump Curve, 118 deleting, 151 working with the pump curve graph, 120

Pumps Browse Database, 130 example pumps, 131 Fixed flow rate, 183 Fixed Head / Pressure Rise Pumps, 183 Import curve image, 122 Performance Curve, 182 Predicted Performance Data, 126 Search Database, 129 Variable Speed and Change to Impeller Size,

125

redo function, 148 Registration and Licensing Information, 13 results

calculating, 152, 154 configuring, 158 exporting, 162 saving, 161

viewing, 160 Results Colors Selection, 78 Results Colors Tab, 56 Results dialog, 152 Results Printing using PDF Report, 165 Results tables, 59 ResultsLogForm dialog, 152 Reynolds number, 169 Rotating a group of items, 147

Selected Area

zoom in, 138 Setting System Options, 68 slurries, 184 solving a pipe system, 154 system

calculation tolerances, 174 components, 174

System Amendments and Group Updates, 141

Tabbed Design Sheets, 62 Tank Node Data, 31 tanks

adding, 86 deleting, 148 info, 86

theory calculation, 168 Tool Bar, 26 Tool Bar Buttons, 26 Tools Menu, 23 total pressure loss, 171 two phase flow, 183 Two phase flow additional pressure loss, 82

undo function, 148 Units Menu, 20 unknown values, 173 Using the Edit Grid, 141

valves

adding, 97 Viewing and Modifying System Components,

142 Viewing Individual Results, 61

zoom function, 138

pipe flow expert user guide

Documents

pipe flow expert overview

license agreement

information recording

menu bar

file menu

edit menu

units menu

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